Slytherin's Silver Trio
by Politics.and.Prose
Summary: Rose Weasley. Albus Potter. Scorpius Malfoy. Three best friends, three quidditch stars. Three Slytherin. Rose/Scorpius.
1. Chapter One

They both remembered the day they were sorted as if it were yesterday. They remembered the letters that came shortly after owling home to their parents with the news. Albus had been scared witless that he would be placed in Slytherin; Rose was certain she would be a Ravenclaw.

Albus' fears came true and Rose's dreams of being in the cleverest house in Hogwarts were dashed.

But that was seven years ago. Seven years ago a Potter and a Weasley, for the first time in both families' histories, were sorted into the one House neither could stand: Slytherin.

Al could remember the look on James' face when the Sorting Hat called out Slytherin after a minute or two. He was ashamed to admit that he was happy Rose was dealt the same fate; he didn't know if he would have survived without her. He had taken a seat next to Scorpius Malfoy and, much to the surprise of everyone, became fast friends.

Rose, after the Hat shouted out "Slytherin!" quickly, looked to Victoire, who was sitting at the Ravenclaw table, Dom, beside her, and Louise with Fred and Roxie at the Gryffindor table. They were all scowling. And James looked worse than the others combined. She just _knew_ Teddy would have this information before the week was out. She may have been anxious at the thought of being a Slytherin (and slightly surprised that the Hat didn't hesitate in its decision as it had for Scorpius Malfoy, someone she had figured would be a Slytherin through and through), but she was grateful for Al being there with her. She knew as long as she had him that things would be okay. And she soon discovered she felt the same comfort in being around the young Malfoy.

But now, as Rose, Al, and their _very good friend_ Scorpius Malfoy boarded the Hogwarts Express, they couldn't help but think back on the times that brought them here.

They were what legends were made of. All of the other students both looked up to them and shied away from them (not including family members, obviously). They were quidditch stars (Rose and Scorpius chasers and Al, of course, seeker), powerful wizards (and witch), and Rose and Scorpius had been prefects. Now they were Head Boy and Girl, leaving the prefect spot open for Al.

Rose's mother said she didn't believe there was ever a time in Hogwarts' history that Slytherin had both Head Boy and Head Girl as well as the Quidditch and House Cups.

Needless to say, this trio had almost as much fame as The Golden Trio of their parents' day. Only this time the publicity and attention were more positive than negative.

"Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter," Professor (and Deputy Headmaster) Neville Longbottom greeted them as he helped younger students load their baggage. "Headmaster Flitwick asked that I ride the train coming in. With June starting this year, he must've known I was a little nervous. And Hannah had to keep the pub running."

"Of course, Professor," Rose said with a smile as she ushered Lily Potter into a compartment. "It's nice to see you again. Which House do you think June will be in?"

"Hufflepuff," he responded instantly. "Like her mother."

"Reckon she'd make a good Gryffindor, sir," Albus put in. "She's been standing up to the Scamander boys more and more."

"That's because those prats are like their father and not their mother. Always messing about," he scowled. "Well, on you go. Mr. Malfoy, Miss Weasley, please remember to conduct a timely prefect meeting to schedule rounds for the train and for this week. And remind the prefects that a new schedule will be made after your first meeting on Saturday night."

"Yes, sir," Scorpius said as Neville gave them one last nod and turned to head to the staff compartment. There would be a new Potions professor this year and Neville had also, coincidentally, been assigned to show him (or her) the ropes.

The three friends made their way to the Heads compartment. Rose quickly shut the door, warded it, and pulled her sweater over her head.

"Ugh!" Al cried out as he covered his eyes against the pale expanse of his cousin's stomach and bra-clad chest. "Give a bloke some warning when you're going to do that."

"Shove off," she muttered as she pulled on a white camisole and dropped the jeans she was in, not bothering to notice Scorpius was extremely distracted. "You two had better get changed as well. I want the prefects to know we're taking this job seriously." She had directed the last part of her statement at the blonde standing five feet to her left. "And what, exactly, are you looking at?"

"Well, shit, Rose, I don't know," Scorpius drawled. "Maybe I'm looking at you as you strip down to your knickers and parade about as if it's something you do every day."

"Oh, honestly," she huffed as she swiped some of her light brown curls from her eyes. "You've seen me in a bikini … and this covers a lot more than that," she informed him as she pulled on her uniform shirt and buttoned it quickly.

"Yeah," he replied as he shot a quickly look to Albus before watching her bend down (and that bloody shirt to rise up) to retrieve her skirt, "but you were flatter than his dense brother's head at the time. When the hell did you get a chest, Rose?"

"Picked it up in Diagon Alley last week," she rejoined sarcastically as she zipped her skirt and straightened out her shirt. And just like that, fun, flirty Rose Weasley turned into Slytherin Head Girl Rose Weasley. "Now hurry and get changed."

"Close your eyes," Al said indignantly. "I did."

"Yes, you did, Alby," Rose said in a patronizing voice, "but I didn't ask you to be a squeamish prude."

"Oy!" the dark haired boy cried out as he tossed the shirt he pulled from his trunk at her. "Don't call me Alby!"

"Notice how he didn't object to being called a prude," Rose said to Scorpius as he snickered.

"You are in _exactly_ the right house," Albus said with a frown before pulling off his muggle shirt and sliding on his crisp oxford. "What did Aunt Hermione say to you before you got on?" he asked her as she pinned her Head Girl badge to the front of the vest she'd just put on after fixing her tie.

"Not to worry too much about NEWTs until Christmas and that there would be a ball this year for the Yule and that I should stay and have a good time."

"Don't we have to anyway?" Scorpius asked as he dropped his jeans and pulled on his trousers quickly. He didn't need her seeing his boxer shorts. Again.

"Yes," she sighed as she twirled her wand in her hand. "But Mum likes to think she's the one who controls what I do. See, if she suggests I stay then she can't exactly feel lonely when I owl and say I plan on going to the ball."

"Women are mental," Scorpius declared and then dodged the tickling hex Rose shot at him. "Well you are!"

"I'm not mental," Rose huffed as she surveyed the two boys. "You're crooked," she muttered as she moved to Scorpius and started adjusting his tie.

Al tried really hard not to snicker at the blush that crossed his friend's face.

"Ted said Victoire might be pregnant," Scorpius said when Rose backed away from him.

"Yeah, she mentioned it," the brunette said as she unlocked the compartment doors and slid them open in anticipation of the arriving prefects. "She's really nervous about it."

"I would be too," Al said as he sat down and pulled out Quidditch Weekly. "I'm thinking of asking Mum to ask Gwenog Jones to come help us train up a bit this year. Reckon she will?"

"Gwen was never too fond of Aunt Gin but it's worth a try," Rose said as she absently picked up a book. "She always did love showcasing her talents."

"Right," Scorpius laughed as he sat beside Rose and looked over her shoulder. "Whatcha reading?"

"Potions," she muttered.

"Still not going to beat me," Scorpius proclaimed proudly. "My father is a Potions Master. He's taught me everything he knows."

"Doesn't say much for your dear old dad, does it, Malfoy?" Al asked with a laugh. "Could have only taken five minutes or so."

"Shut it, git," the blonde responded with a sneer.

Al was about to snipe back at his mate when there was a knock on the door and Lily, fifth year prefect out of Gryffindor, came in, along with Lorcan Scamander from Ravenclaw. "Can we come in?"

"Of course," Rose smiled at her redheaded cousin. "Where's Hugo?"

"With Lysander," Lorcan answered in an airy voice. "Even though he's in his third year now, he still doesn't like the train much. I think June Longbottom is with them as well."

Rose gave a nod and indicated the two should have a seat.

When the rest of the prefects arrived, the meeting commenced.

--

"What a bloody waste of time," Scorpius sighed as he flopped back down onto the bench.

All of the prefects, Al included, had left the compartment. Some had rounds, others wanted to visit with friends before they had to get to work, and Al wanted to sniff out some blonde he'd been chasing since last year. Scorpius couldn't be bothered to remember her name.

"It was not," Rose said as she neatly organized the notes form the meeting. "We got everything worked out and we have a good idea of who will be doing rounds with whom. Obviously we don't want the prefects from the same House working together the whole time."

"Obviously," the blonde said as his eyes glanced to the door for a minute before flicking his wand and watching it slowly close and click shut. Another muttered spell and they were warded in. "Hi," he said with a smile.

Rose looked up from her book to take in the closed door and the shimmering of the spell that would allow them to see out but no one to see in. Scorpius had gotten to be _very_ clever with his warding charms. "Hello," she smiled back, closing her book and dropping it on the floor.

"Alone at last, it seems," he said in a low voice as he moved to sit beside her, left hand resting on her thigh. "Whatever shall we do to pass the time?"

"I can think of a few things," Rose responded breathlessly just before Scorpius pressed his lips to hers.

They had been together for several months now – she thought it was sometime near the end of February he had declared them in a monogamous relationship. She couldn't remember, as there had been plenty of "friendly snogging" before his sincere declaration.

They had been sneaking around, though, making sure Al didn't find out. Both were afraid he would feel alienated and left out if he discovered the relationship between his friends. Because that's what he saw them as: his best friends. Rose may have been a cousin but, in his mind, she was his best friend first. She liked that, considering he didn't really get on with the majority of their family members.

"Do you know how hard it was for me to _not_ jump you when you bent over your trunk to pull out your skirt?" he asked her as his lips moved to her neck and he hand pushed up the aforementioned skirt.

"Yes," she answered in a breathless whisper. "I wanted to drive you mad."

"You certainly succeeded," he laughed lowly, his tongue tickling the bit of flesh that joined her shoulder and her neck. "We have our own common room, right?"

"Connected to Slytherin but warded against unwanted visitors," she responded as she fisted her fingers in his blonde locks and dragged his lips back to hers in a fiery kiss.

That was all the conversation for quite a long while.

--

"So, who do you reckon the new Potions professor is going to be?" Lily asked Hugo, Lorcan, Lysander and June when she entered the compartment. "We haven't been able to get up to that part of the train," she added with an indication to the older Scamander boy and herself. "Not even for a peak."

"No idea," Hugo responded. He, like Lysander, was a third year. "I'm just really excited about getting to take Care for Magical Creatures this year. Uncle Charlie said it was his favorite class and Uncle Charlie is my favorite Weasley uncle so I reckon I'll like it as well. Oh, and because Molly and Lucy hated it," he snickered.

"Lou and Fred weren't too keen on it either," Lily pointed out. "What about you, Ly? Which class are you glad to be picking up?"

She had expected him to respond with Divination, as Lysander was more like Luna than Lorcan was. She was shocked and slightly happy when he responded with "Ancient Runes."

"Me too," Lily smiled. "Aunt Hermione gave me some of her notes from when she took it. I can let you borrow them, if you like, since I kept them."

Hugo, unlike Al when he was with Rose and Scorpius, couldn't (or wouldn't) contain his laughter at the yonger Scamander's blush.

"Shove off," Lysander told the redhead with a scowl. "Sounds great," he continued as his eyes moved to Lily. "I'd like that a lot."

June was more than happy to sit quietly, happy beyond believe that she wouldn't be caught up in all that drama. Because Lorcan was suddenly glaring at his younger brother.

--

Al was completely defeated when the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station. He hadn't been able to find Columba anywhere. Well, anywhere that didn't reek of "girl time". He swore there had to be about twenty sixth year girls in that bloody compartment. He had planned to wait for her to need to use the loo. Girls _always_ needed to use the loo when traveling. It was some kind of genetic disease or something, he had decided one year with James. And it was a scientific fact that every female had to use the loo at least once on every journey.

Apparently, Columba was the exception to that rule.

He forlornly watched as the pretty blonde climbed into a carriage and was whisked off towards Hogwarts. He would have to catch the next one, without Scor and Rose, and hurry in to the feast so he could get a good seat for the Sorting ceremony.

He walked in with a couple of other Slytherins in his year, Casman Nabeer and Lucas Norlington, and took the seats as close to those reserved for the Head Boy and Girl as he could procure. Lucky for him he could sit beside them and still watch the firsties get sorted.

The Great Hall filled quickly and before he knew it, Rose and Scorpius were taking their seats.

"They get smaller every year," Rose said with a sad smile as she took her seat between Scorpius and Albus.

"Maybe you're just finally getting taller," the dark haired boy responded.

He was hit for his trouble.

The first years were escorted in by Professor Longbottom and the Sorting began after a brief explanation of the way the ceremony worked.

When Neville called his daughter's name, all who knew her silently held their breath. They all knew that no one could bank on what House they would be sorted into. Not since that night seven years prior that put a Potter and a Weasley into Slytherin.

The Hat sat on her head for close to three minutes before shouting out "Gryffindor!" Al noticed, with a slight jolt, that Hugo was clapping harder than anyone else at the table. He would have to check into that later.

When the Sorting concluded, Headmaster Flitwick moved to his perch behind the podium and spoke to the crowd. "Welcome back, students! This year promises to be another great one for all of our students. A brief reminder to all students that the Forbidden Forrest is, of course, off limits, and Professor Hagrid requests that any student taking his Advanced Care for Magical Creatures class to please be fully knowledgeable on the subject of jarvys _before_ your first class." Flitwick paused for a moment when he noticed the door in the back of the Hall open. "And now, let me please introduce you to your new Potions Master, Professor Malfoy."

"Well fuck me," Scorpius said with wide eyes as he watched his father walk to the staff table in the front of the Hall.

"This is going to be an interesting year to say the least," Al laughed.

Scorpius' response was to allow his head to slam hard onto the wooden table the Slytherins were seated around.


	2. Chapter Two

Draco simply _knew_ his son would have the kind of reaction he did. It wasn't that Scorpius was embarrassed by him, he understood, but that his son had a life away from home. He had a life that was built around his friends, which was completely different from the one built around his mother, father and baby sister.

Draco was proud of the life he lived after the Second War. He wasn't exactly a reformed good guy, but the hero worship he held for Lucius had faded to simply a son looking up to his father, regardless of the spots on his record. But Draco, determined to never put any child of his in the position he was in during his childhood, vowed at age twenty five to be a more understanding and considerate man than Lucius was.

He had known Astoria Greengrass from Hogwarts. She was Daphne's younger sister and always stayed out of the way. She was shy, soft-spoken, and probably could have been a Hufflepuff. He'd never paid much mind to the dark haired girl while at school; he was too caught up in belittling Potter and rowing with Granger and Weasley. Oh, and that whole Dark Lord thing. _That_ was something, looking back, that could have caused a bit of tension between his family and that of his future wife's: the Greengrasses were neutral in the war. Purebloods, to be sure, but not into the whole _genocide_ thing. Luckily.

After school he isolated himself for a long while. He wanted to get away from the world he felt played a part in the deterioration of his family. His father had been arrested, once again, and his mother had sold Malfoy Manor. She said there were too many memories.

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, he could still hear Granger and Weasley screaming, both in pain – hers physical and his mental and emotional – because of his late Aunt Bellatrix.

He remembered the fear that flooded through him the first time he saw Granger and her daughter in Diagon Alley. Rumors had been floating around that the war had made her sterile – a couple of well-placed hexes and curses could have easily ended her ability to carry a child. He knew that Bella would have been responsible if she had lost the ability to conceive.

He was silently pleased that the girl was a nice mix of her parents, a bit more Granger than Weasley (in looks, at least, as he had no desire to discover the girl's personality), and very much alive. He knew Granger and Weasley got married at the relatively young age of twenty two and, since no child had been born for about five years, everyone thought that the two war heroes would never be parents.

He was fleetingly sad for them, thinking that they both deserved to have the chance to make someone's childhood better than their own. They had gone quiet after the war, Weasley to his brothers' joke shop and Granger to the Ministry, and neither of them drawing any attention to themselves (aside from when Weasley promoted the shop).

Potter and the girl Weasley were a different story. While Potter went into the relative safety of becoming an auror, his then-girlfriend (now wife) decided she wanted to play quidditch for a living. And, with a little boost from Granger, he assumed, she joined the Holyhead Harpies. Potter was only too happy to relocate to Wales and _out_ of London.

Nevertheless, he knew of their children before they were born. The oldest came before Granger's and he couldn't help but think that was something the Weasley matriarch held over the brunette constantly.

Draco, shaking himself from his musings, turned to Longbottom. "Which house did your daughter end up in?"

"Gryffindor," Neville responded in wonder. "Thought for sure she would be in Hufflepuff like her mum."

Draco smiled as his eyes wandered over to his son, who was chatting with his very own Potter and Weasley. His mind briefly flashed to the idea that Scorpius was the _Granger_ of their little trio, but dismissed it. Scor was good at quidditch; Granger was terrible. Oh, and his son was a man.

"She's a lot more like you than you think, Longbottom," he replied.

Neville smiled and cut a piece of chicken. "So I take it your son didn't know that you would be coming this year."

"No way. Astoria and I wanted it to be a surprise. I mean, I can still floo home on weekends and any night I need to, as I'm not a Head of House, so she's fine with me being here. When Filius asked me, I think she was quite eager to be rid of me." He watched Neville open his mouth to respond. "Don't even think about it."

The former Gryffindor simply laughed. "How's the baby?"

"Oh, she's perfect," Draco said with a real smile. "Mum's been over to dote on her nearly every day for the last two months."

"Quite the age gap between the two of them," Neville said with a nod. "I'm sure Narcissa was certain she would only be a grandmother to one child."

"And boy did she let loose on me when I told her Tor and I didn't need any more children. She was _furious_. But I'm glad Lyra was born. Of course I am," he chuckled. "Scorpius had a bit of trouble dealing with it though. Not in a bad way, surprisingly. But he wouldn't let Albus Potter near her for the first month. It was really amusing to listen to him tell Al to keep away from his sister."

"I'll bet it was," Neville responded. "So, Scorpius made Head Boy …"

"He was thrilled at that. He said he couldn't think of a time before now and since Riddle that Slytherin had the Head Boy position … aside from me but we both I know I didn't earn it ..."

"Hermione Weasley confirmed that this was the first time in _history_ that Slytherin had both Heads."

"Still can't wrap my mind around her and Weasley getting married. Never thought he would grow up enough for her," Draco confessed.

"Oh," Neville said with a chuckle, "he hasn't. She still hexes him for the stupid pranks he pulls. She's gone so far as to pull rank on him, saying she worked for Magical Law Enforcement and she had no problem with locking him up."

"Thought she was in Control and Regulation," Draco said with a slight frown as he and Neville stood (since dinner was over) and headed towards the doors.

"Harry asked her to move over to MLE. She didn't even really think about it. She set up a good team over in Control and was quite happy to move on to something else."

"Why do you suppose Potter wanted her there?" Draco asked with a slight frown. "You don't think he thinks …"

"Could be," Neville said with a shrug. "Harry's had plenty of problems the last thirty or so years. And don't forget – your father is up for parole after the New Year."

Draco froze in his tracks. His mind started wildly counting months, days, years. _Shit_. "I can't believe I forgot that. And I think my mother did as well."

"I think Harry brought Hermione over to help him keep your father in Azkaban," Neville said in a soft but honest voice.

Draco nodded. "Excuse me. I'd actually like to go see my son. I'm sure Potter and Weasley are taking the mickey out something fierce."

"You can talk to them, you know. Harry and Hermione. You should. I think they'd be willing to listen to anything you have to say about your father."

"Right," Draco said, his mind clearly elsewhere. "I'll see you tomorrow morning at breakfast."

"Good night, Draco," Neville said.

Draco gave him a nod and went in search of his son.

--

"This can't be happening," Scorpius said for the seventeenth time halfway through dinner. "My father _can't_ be the new Potions professor. I have to be dreaming. Quick, Weasley, take off your clothes so I can pinch you."

"Oh shut up!" she said as she punched him in the arm. "It's not so bad. Your dad's a _great_ Potions Master."

"Yes, but you must remember the most important part … he's my _dad_!"

"I'm sure he'll be fair," Albus interjected. "I don't think he'll give you any special treatment."

"No. No, he won't. It'll be way worse than that. He'll snipe on every little thing. He'll give me low marks if the potions aren't completely perfect!"

"Scor, you've never brewed a potion that _wasn't_ perfect," Al replied.

"It's all going to work out," Rose said. When Al was distracted by Casman, Rose leaned in a whispered, "I'll give you a back rub later and try to calm you down. This isn't a bad thing, love."

Scorpius sighed and nodded in acquiescence. "I know it could be a good thing, Rosie. But we're still, you know, trying to keep _us_ a secret. What if Dad finds out about us?"

"Would it be so terrible, Scor? I mean, he accepts me and Al as your friends. Would he really have that much of a problem finding out we're together?"

"I'm thinking more along the lines of him finding out and going to Al and not us," Scorpius replied softly.

Rose pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and thought for a minute. There were really two scenarios going through her mind. The first was what Scorpius had just mentioned. The second was telling Al. She knew he would be upset but she thought that his happiness for them might outweigh the anger. He would probably be more concerned with them keeping it a secret than anything else.

"We could call him to our common room tonight and tell him," she whispered. "I think he'll be okay with it. Might take him a bit, but I think we'll be fine."

Scorpius simply nodded as Al turned to them. "Oy. What's the big secret?"

"Tell you tonight at eight in our common room. We'll come get you if you forget. But, for now, we need to oversee the prefects as they get the first years to their dormitories. Rose, you do the Slytherins and the Ravenclaws. I'd rather have you close to our common room and not walking around the castle on your own."

Rose sighed but nodded. She knew when to pick her battles. She could do with losing this one. Because she knew she would have many more to come.

The trio split, Al heading off with Cassidy Reynolds, the new female Slytherin prefect, and Rose heading for the lower levels. Scorpius watched his father leave with Professor Longbottom and then headed for the upper floors.

As he was walking down the fifth floor corridor he spotted his father walking towards him. He steeled himself and smiled. "Father. Or should I call you Professor?"

Draco sighed as he directed his son into an empty classroom. Arithmancy, if he was correct. "I reckon I should have mentioned this to you before you found out the hard way, yeah?"

Scorpius shrugged as he sat on a desktop. "It's not a big deal, Dad. I was just really shocked."

"And scared that I would come down really hard on you in class?" his father smiled.

"I think you _should_ be hard on the class. I just don't think you should be _extra_ hard on me. I do good work. I have good grades …"

"You have better grades in Potions than I did when I was your age."

"You weren't at Hogwarts when you were my age," Scorpius responded. "But I know what you mean. You've taught me everything I know about potions work and I'm glad for it. Just remember that I'm only seventeen when you're grading my work."

"I will," Draco responded with a nod. "So, how're Al and Rose?"

"Good," Scorpius responded. "Al's been made captain of the team and he's trying to get Ginny to ask Gwenog Jones to come out and train with us for a bit."

"That stupid bint won't do it," Draco groused. "She's a bit showy, if you get what I mean. And she hates Ginny Potter because Ginny's better than she is."

Scorpius nodded absently. "And please, for Merlin's sake, don't take out whatever grudge you had when Harry beat you in Potions out on Al. He's not that great at it. If Rose didn't help him out he probably wouldn't have made it to NEWT level."

"Is she a lot like her mother?" Draco asked suddenly. "Rose, I mean. Is she a lot like Granger?"

"Not really," Scorpius shrugged. "She's really clever and gets good marks, but all of us do. We know how to balance our time. She's much more … Slytherin … than Mrs. Weasley. Why do you ask?"

It was Draco's turn to shrug. "I just remember that Weasley wouldn't have passed without Granger and, you know, until sixth year, Potter wouldn't have either."

"I can stand perfectly well on my own in all of my classes," Scorpius sniffed.

"I've no doubt about that, son. It's just odd that there's another trio around Hogwarts as famous as the one from my days."

"You and your old mates used to be quite famous," Scorpius replied with an arched brow.

"Not for anything good, I can assure you, son," Draco said solemnly. "We were nothing like the Slytherin group you've turned out to be a part of."

"Everyone has good and bad in them, Dad," Scorpius said with a smile. "I mean, Al's a bit dense with Potions, girls, and sometimes personal hygiene … Rosie snores when she's sleeping really heavily … and I'm just too perfect for my own good."

Draco was about to respond when his mind caught up with his son's words. "How do you know what Rose Weasley sounds like when she's sleeping really heavily?"

Scorpius' eyes widened to an almost comical degree. "Erm, she sometimes falls asleep in the common room when she's dead tired. And neither Al nor I can take her downstairs to her room. And you know how protective I am of her – I won't let her sleep there alone. Not all Slytherins are as … progressive … as we are. Some still hold family grudges."

Draco nodded slowly. He remembered when his old friend Blaise Zabini had flooed him about his daughter, Alejandra, who was a fifth year when Scorpius started, beating up Rose Weasley. He had been disgusted and quickly disconnected the floo call then he'd immediately flooed to Hermione Weasley's office in the Ministry and informed her.

She hadn't said anything to him at that time but he received an owl three days later with a simple "Thank you" written in neat cursive.

"I need to get back to the common room," Scorpius told his father in a low voice. "When's our first class with you?"

"Wednesday at two in the afternoon. It's a double."

"I'll see you then," the younger Malfoy responded as he shook his father's hand and walked back into the empty corridor. "Rose snores when she's deeply asleep," he mocked himself in a low tone. "Idiot."

He made his way, quite slowly, back to the dungeons. He wasn't exactly looking forward to speaking with Al about his relationship with Rose. He was more nervous than anything. He didn't want his best mate to think that anything would change. He vaguely wondered to himself whether Mr. and Mrs. Weasley thought the same thing about Mr. Potter. But he quickly dismissed the though because he knew that Albus and his father, while similar in looks, were not similar in temperament. Al was a moody bugger sometimes but more often than not was quite open-minded and accepting.

"Hey," Rose smiled when he walked through the portrait hole. "Took you longer than I thought."

"Ran into Dad," he said with a tired sigh as he flopped down onto the couch. "Just escaped."

Rose smiled and sat on his lap, her knees on either side of his hips. "I think we have a few minutes before Al gets here …" she said leadingly.

"Really?" he asked with a lazy smile as his hands roamed slowly up and down her back. "And what do you suggest we do with that time?"

Her answer was to lean in and press her lips smoothly to his. Her hands cupped his jaw as his tightened on her bottom. "I've missed this," she said a little breathlessly.

"Me too," he responded in an exhalation, his breath warm against her chin.

She was about to lean in for another kiss when there was a knock on the portrait. "To be continued?" she asked him.

"If Al doesn't cut it off," the blonde smirked as he helped her climb from his lap. He took her hand and led her to the portrait. "Here goes …" he said and allowed Albus into the room.


	3. Chapter Three

Albus sat on his canopy bed in his dormitory wondering if they were finally going to tell him. He'd known that Scorpius and Rose were "more than just best mates" since before Christmas of last year, but thought it was just a tension release. He had assumed, after they returned from Christmas with their respective families that it would stop. He had been convinced that it was more physical and less emotional. He knew Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione had trouble getting over the idea that their little girl was in Slytherin. They had made him promise to keep her safe and out of harm's way.

He remembered the day that the Zabini chit, a fifth year, physically beat Rose to a bloody pulp. He had been sure that Hermione was going to pull the young Weasley out of school and leave him there, essentially alone. Sure, he could have survived with just Scorpius, but why should he have to when he had Rose? So when Aunt Hermione hugged him (and wiped the blood from his bleeding split lip), he was shocked but much more comfortable with the idea of her family accepting her House.

He also got an odd feeling that it had something to do with Scorpius' father.

Digression aside, holidays were still hard for Rose. Hugo was in Gryffindor and the "perfect child" in the eyes of his parents. He was clever to the point of passing all of his classes with no problems, a fairly skilled quidditch player, though there was really no way for someone in their family to not be, and was an all-around do-gooder. Hermione was happy that he hadn't seemed to pick up the Weasleys' joke gene and Ron was happy his son didn't drive himself to exhaustion over his studies.

Al resented Hugo for being thirteen and more acceptable to their families than he and Rose were.

Being in Slytherin really brought the two of them together. Sure, they were mates growing up. They never _had_ to be though. When Albus was sorted into Slytherin, his first reaction was that his father was a liar. Harry had told him that he would be able to pick his House. He had adamantly asked for any House but Slytherin. Fat load of good that did him.

But when Rose was sorted, and the Hat barely touched her head before a loud cry of "Slytherin!", he was glad for his unfortunate fate. Because the Hat seemed to think it was a foregone conclusion that Rose was meant to be in Slytherin. He liked to think that the Hat put him there to help her through it.

She'd had a lot of trouble adjusting to life in the dungeons. He, for some reason, did quite well. But, then again, he had made friends with Scorpius Malfoy on the train and therefore knew someone in his dormitory room. Rose didn't have that luck.

As their first year moved on, Rose became more comfortable in her surroundings. Al figured having mates like him and Scorpius helped.

Their first Christmas at home was very hard on both of them. Their older cousins, and even some of the younger, seemed to go out of their way to avoid talking to the two reluctant Slytherins. Victoire had gone so far as to leave the dinner table and floo to Andromeda's house. Teddy had followed quickly after.

It seemed the Weasleys took it harder than his own parents did, though there were rough patches there as well. One night, not long before they were due to return to Hogwarts, Al had found Rose crying in the lounge in the middle of the night.

He had tried to comfort her but it was to no avail. She disclosed to him that she thought her father hated her. Ron had treated his little girl quite differently when she came home that Christmas. He spent the majority of his time with Hugo and left Rose to the others. He didn't know if he would ever forgive his Uncle Ron for that.

He and Rose grew much closer, turning more into friends than anything. He had quietly confessed to the brunette, once they got back to Hogwarts and were safely isolated from their family, that he was ashamed of how they'd acted towards their children. He'd told her he wanted them to be _friends_ more than _family_ because he wasn't too keen on his relatives just then.

Rose had become skittish around their cousins, however, and he took it upon himself to do some … investigatory … work. In turn, it made him very good at observing others. This acquired skill was what led him to the information that Rose and Scorpius were more than just best mates.

He had truly thought it would be temporary. For their first six years at Hogwarts she tended to get closer to him before the long holidays. She got close enough to either share with him or fight with him. Last year she got close enough to snog him.

But Al never told them he knew. He was sure it was only meant to be a temporary fix to Rose's anxiety but he assumed that, if this conversation was going to be about what he thought it was, that his best mates were a little more serious than he'd originally anticipated. And he couldn't have been happier.

Growing up, he had been a bit small. His mother had called him "underdeveloped". His father didn't speak to her for a week following _that_ conversation. Due to his size, however, he couldn't be very protective, so that had fallen to Teddy and James. But once in Hogwarts and the Sorting, he had stepped into the role of making sure Rose was taken care of.

He was more than happy to pass that responsibility to Scorpius. He knew his mate would take care of her.

He looked down at his watch and noticed that it was time to go meet with them. He briefly thought about making them come look for him but decided against it, reasoning that he wanted to be cool about this and not react the way he was certain they expected him to.

With one last glance in the mirror, he sighed and headed out of his dormitory. He made his way into the common room, pausing to flirt a little with one of the giggling fourth years (just for fun), and then made his way to the portrait that would admit him into the Head Common Room.

He knocked and could have sworn he heard a sigh (or growl) before Scorpius opened the entrance.

He had to conceal his laughter and put on an innocently confused face at the sight of Rose's hand linked with the blonde's. "What's going on?"

Scorpius swallowed and stuttered a little, causing Al to bite back another laugh. _This is going to be _very_ entertaining_.

"Come on in, Albus," Rose said over her boyfriend's garbled tongue. "Scor and I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Is it something having to do with you two holding hands?" he asked, eyebrows reaching his hairline.

"It is," Scorpius said. He knew Al was good at concealing his emotions and thoughts – he assumed that was why the Hat put him in Slytherin – and he was slightly afraid that Albus was internally fuming and about ready to combust. "Have a seat."

Albus, just for show, stared at them for a few minutes before doing as instructed. Rose and Scorpius sat across from him on a loveseat.

_This is exactly what Mum and Dad did with me and James when she was pregnant with Lily. And when Aunt Hermione was pregnant with Hugo_. "What's going on? Are you both okay?"

"We're fine," Rose assured him. "We just needed to tell you something and we need your help in keeping it a secret for a little while."

Al absently allowed the thought of Rose being pregnant flit through his mind but he quickly dismissed it. She was far too clever to allow that to happen. Hell, she was smart enough to keep a relationship with Scorpius Malfoy under wraps for nearly a year. "Did something happen?"

"Yes," Scorpius continued. "Rose and I … you see … the thing is …" _He's never like this_, Al thought. _I think he's really nervous about my reaction._

"We're together," the ever-blunt Rose told him unapologetically. "We've officially been together since, what, February?"

Scorpius nodded slightly, almost taken aback by her bold presentation of facts. "Officially, yes. But, Al, mate, we've been a bit more than _just mates_ since November of last year."

Albus stared at them for a few moments. He took great joy in watching the ever-cool Scorpius Malfoy fidget in his seat. He had power of the two of them and he enjoyed it. Had he been a not-so-nice guy, he would have let them stew in their nerves for a longer period of time. He was, however, a nice guy and they were good friends to him.

His eyes met Scorpius' before he finally spoke, his words directed at the blonde. "You're not messing her around, are you?"

Scorpius pondered that for a moment. "No more than she is me."

Al's eyes moved to his cousin, younger by two months, and surveyed her nervous appearance. She obviously thought there would be more yelling, more anger, more tears. He couldn't remember ever crying in front of her (not even when he broke his leg in three places!) and couldn't help but be a bit amused at the emotion flashing in her eyes. "Are you messing Scor around?"

Rose swallowed thickly before looking to her boyfriend. Neither of them spoke much about their relationship. It was mostly snogging, talking and cuddling, if she were honest with herself. But she knew it had the potential to be _much_ more than that. She liked being with him, talking with him, joking with him, studying with him … she just really liked _him_ as a person as well. "No. I'm not."

Al was slightly shocked when he saw Scorpius let out a relieved breath. He had assumed that the blonde knew where her affections lay, but apparently that wasn't the case. Perhaps their coming clean was for them as well.

The three of them sat in silence for a while. Al was lost in thought and it seemed that every passing minute had Rose gripping Scorpius' hand tighter and tighter. She stared at him hard for a moment before puffing out in a loud breath, "Just say something already, Albus. You're driving me mad."

Al blinked at her before responding, "Why did you just tell me now?"

When his cousin and best mate looked at each other, a small trace of what could only be described as apprehension lingering in their connected eyes, he couldn't help but think someone else had figured them out and they didn't want him to hear it from someone else. He was suddenly happy and angry at the same time.

"Two reasons, mate," Scorpius said finally. "First, you're our best mate. We were really nervous that you would feel left out and, to be honest, we didn't really know where we stood with each other. I mean, sure, I told her that we were together last February but we never really talked about what that meant. Nothing changed in how we acted towards one another. Just some more snogging, I suppose."

"We're the same people, Al," Rose continued. "And we won't try to exclude you or anything. I think some of why we kept it a secret was because we were afraid of the general reaction to it. I mean, do you remember the Sorting? People nearly fell out of their seats. And with so many bloody cousins, it's very hard to keep secrets around here. Could you imagine Dad finding out about this before we were ready? It would be a disaster!"

Al could understand her reasoning with no problem at all. While Ron was still a little on the chilly side towards his only daughter, he was still fiercely protective. And he still hated Draco Malfoy. Al could imagine Hermione eventually being on her daughter's side, but Ron would always be just the other side of understanding and accepting.

"What's the second reason?"

"Dad," Scorpius said simply. "We all know that he'll riddle it out in no time if we're careless. Not that we intend to slip up or act any differently when we're in public, but there's always that chance. And I think I might have messed up already."

"How?" Al asked with an arched brow.

"Well, I was kind of explaining our flaws to Dad – I don't remember why – and I mentioned that Rose snores when she's in a particularly deep sleep."

"I do not!" she denied.

"And he kind of called me on it. He asked me how I knew."

"How _do_ you know?" Al asked with a slight smirk and an arched eyebrow.

"She falls asleep in the common room when she's had a particularly tough night studying," Scorpius said without pause. "And I can't get her to her room so I just stay here with her. I might actually be a bit overprotective."

Albus stared at his friend for a moment before snorting loudly. "What a rubbish lie!" he laughed. "Your dad's far too clever to fall for that. I'm sure he thinks something's going on."

"I could always tell him that Nabeer told me," Scorpius said thoughtfully.

"You'll do no such thing!" Rose cried in indignation. "I'll not have your father thinking that I'm the Slag of Slytherin. No way! We'll think of something else."

"Now tell me _really_ how you know that Rose snores," Al said with a hard look.

Rose blushed the color of her name and Scorpius averted his eyes. "We've spent the night together a couple of times," he said in what he hoped was a nonchalant voice.

"How many is a couple?"

"Albus Severus, that is _none_ of your business! All that matters is that you know now but … we need you to keep it quiet. I understand it's a lot to ask of you, but you're really the only one we trust," Rose told him honestly. Her fingers had moved up to run nervously through her light brown hair and that worried/sick look was back on her face. "We wouldn't ask if it wasn't really important."

"And besides," Scorpius added, "we'll need all the allies we can get when this all comes out."

Albus pondered that statement for a few moments before nodding slowly. "Okay. I can keep this to myself. And I'm glad you told me. And I know this won't change anything. I knew since the beginning," he confessed. He thought a _true_ Slytherin would have held on to that information until it would come in really handy but he never considered himself to be a _real, true_ Slytherin. He figured he would have been fine in any of the Houses.

"How did you know?" Scorpius asked loudly. "Were we _that_ obvious?"

"No," Al replied seriously with a shake of his head. "You both looked happier … and it took me a while, but I realized that only one thing could cause that …"

"Al!" Rose blushed. "We didn't do _that_ until over the summer …"

"I could have lived without knowing that," Al groused. "I just meant that only being really happy could have made you both look like that. And I started picking up on small smiles, a blush or two – by you, Scor. Not Rose. And it didn't take me all that long to riddle out the fact that _she_ was making _you_ smile and _you_ were making _her_ smile. I'm a lot more observant than most people give me credit for."

Rose and Scorpius simply smiled and thanked him.

After a few moment of small, light chatter, Al raised a question that he'd had since Scorpius had made the statement: "How serious are you about wanting and needing allies?"

Rose and Scorpius shared a look. She nodded at him and he responded, "Very."

"Let me write to my dad," Al responded. "I won't expressly say your names, but I know he'll know. And I'll ask him to keep it a secret, even from Mum. He'd be the most understanding of any of them, I reckon."

Scorpius and Rose shared another look before she responded in the affirmative.

Al smiled and stood. "I'll go write it now. And I'll send it out tonight to make it seem like it was just me rambling. I'll see you both in the morning for breakfast," he concluded as he walked out the door.

He smiled slightly as he made his way back up to his room. He was glad everything was in the open now. He also knew that Rose and Scorpius felt much better. He wondered idly if, now that they knew he knew, they would show more affection in public.

He easily rejected the notion.

When he sat down on his bed he pulled a book, parchment, quill and ink over to himself. Casting a charm to make sure the liquid didn't spill, he started his letter.

_Dear Dad,_

_I need to talk to you (and writing is the only option right now, I reckon) about something serious and secret. I've put a charm on this letter that requires you to solemnly swear to never tell a soul __what is written on these pages. Once you do that, you will be able to read on._

_x-x_

_Okay, I assume that since you can read this, you've promised to keep my secret. Well, not so much a secret as a question, I suppose, but the topic is sensitive and I don't want the family to know about it just yet._

_So … here goes. Did you feel left out at all when Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione got together? I mean, I know you had Mum and all, but did it ever get uncomfortable? Were there awkward silences and moments where you thought they wanted you to leave the room but were too kind to ask?_

_Not that any of this is happening to me. I'm just curious is all._

_Now we can go back to the bit you can share with Mum._

_x-x_

_Classes start tomorrow and we have a new Potions professor. It's Mr. Malfoy! Scorpius' dad! He's kind of freaking out over it. I won't lie – it's almost as funny as that time when Lily hexed James so bad he couldn't sit for a week. Malfoy looks just about as uncomfortable as James did._

_Being a prefect is pretty cool. We're starting quidditch next week, I think. Neville says hello. June made Gryffindor. I think Hugo might think she's cute. Don't tell Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione (and I know you like to tell her _everything_). I want to check it out first. Oh, and I think Lysander has a thing for Lily. Don't worry – that'll never get off the ground._

_Give everyone my love. I hope you can write back soon._

_Al_

Finishing up the letter, Al grabbed his father's old invisibility cloak and headed out in the direction of the owlry.


	4. Chapter Four

Harry Potter was sitting in his office at the Ministry when his son's owl flew through the door. He had never quite figured out how the thing could get in but it never failed to do so. Al'd never complained about not receiving a return owl from him.

Harry quickly chucked the report he was reviewing aside and took the letter from Hera. "Good girl. Bit of bread Hermione made over on the mantle. Eat what you'd like." He conjured a small bowl of water beside it. "Drink away but no baths."

As the owl hooted merrily and flew to the mantle, Harry opened the letter. Al must've been out late last night to get it off for it to be here at seven in the morning.

Harry was kind of shocked that his son put a protective charm on the contents of the letter. Eager to find out what was such a secret, the eldest Potter tapped his wand to the parchment and vowed to keep the contents a secret. For some reason he thought he was going to have trouble not repeating the contents of the letter to Hermione.

To this day, he and Hermione remained close friends. They often spent time together away from the rest of the family. Though they were never treated as children-in-law, they sometimes felt that way. After Ginny gave up quidditch when James was born, and when Ron decided to open his own WWW in Cornwall, the two of them (the Weasleys), started to revert to the old days of when the Weasley family (the born Weasleys) were the be all end all of social interaction. It wasn't that Harry and Hermione were uninvited or left out; they simply felt a bit out of place.

Things only got worse when Molly passed on two years prior. Ginny took up the role of mothering the family. She had always claimed she would never do that; she said her priorities were always going to be her own children and husband first.

He couldn't blame her for spending loads of time with her family though. Arthur had really lost a part of him when he lost Molly. They'd been married nearly fifty years when she'd passed. He'd silently cursed himself when Hermione tearfully told him that witches had a shorter life span than wizards.

He wondered how he would survive without his wife and suddenly understood where Arthur was coming from. He hoped he had his Ginny for a hundred more years.

He quickly shook his head to free his mind of his musings and focused on the letter that his son had sent him. His eyes scanned the words and widened with every sentence.

Was this his son's way of telling him that Rose (Weasley!) and Scorpius (Malfoy!) were in a relationship? Or at least, as his son speculated, could be in one?

Hundreds of scenarios and emotions flashed through Harry's mind at once. Now he knew why Al had put the charm on his letter. There was no way he could tell Ron about this. His best mate really wouldn't be very understanding.

He had been ashamed of Ron's reaction to their children being sorted into Slytherin. He himself had been shocked, as he'd assured his youngest son that the Hat would take preference into account, when Al wrote him to say he and Rose had been put in Slytherin. He accepted it, however, knowing that Al would do good things in that House. And he was glad to have Rose there with him.

Some people thought it wasn't a surprise to find the young Potter boy in Slytherin. They knew of how Harry had nearly been sorted there and that James Potter, Harry's father, had been considered for the House as well.

But Rose Weasley came as a true shock. No Weasley had _ever _been considered for the green and silver house. And, if the way Al had written it was true, the Hat didn't even need to touch her head before it was certain she was to be a Slytherin.

He and Hermione had talked about her daughter in great lengths in the days and weeks following that September. Hermione had not been angry at all. She was shocked, of course, but she knew her daughter was a good girl and wasn't in Slytherin because she was evil. She had disclosed to him that she thought Rose was incredibly suited to the House known for ambition (though in earlier years the ambition was not exactly the best thing). Her daughter was clever and could be manipulative. Just ask Ron or Arthur.

Ron, of course being the complete polar opposite as Hermione, had taken the news very badly. When Rose came home for Christmas that year, he seemed to have treated her like he would have treated Draco Malfoy. He was cold, distant, and not very nice at all. Harry'd given Ron a nice talking to once the kids were gone – complete with strong hexes and several threats.

As the years passed, Ron came to accept that his daughter was in Slytherin, though never quite happy with it. What made it worse, in Ron's mind, was that Scorpius Malfoy, the carbon-copy of his father, was one of her best friends. She had formed her own trio with Al and Scorpius as her mates. And they were _quite_ popular.

Al had more detentions because he "scared off" suitors for Rose than for anything else.

And his son was nothing if not a chronic detention receiver.

His mouth was hanging open in a very unattractive manner when Hermione walked through the door.

"Harry?" she asked with concern. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I-I wish I could tell you, Hermione, but I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" the curly haired brunette asked with her hands moving to her hips and her stance indicating her displeasure with his response.

"I had to do a vow to not reveal the contents of this letter. I, of course, anxious to know why my son wanted to keep a secret, vowed not to tell anyone. Don't worry," he rushed out when he saw the look on Hermione's face. "It's nothing bad. Just kind of shocking. And I'll definitely write back to Al to ask for permission to tell you."

"What's it about, Harry?" she asked. "I don't mean tell me what it says," she added with an eye roll as she sat down in one of Harry's comfortable guest chairs. "I just mean … who is it about?"

Harry narrowed his eyes for a moment, wondering exactly what would happen to him if he gave in to her request and disclosed a little bit of detail. He stared at the witch in front of him before saying with a small smirk, "The Silver Trio."

"Oh sweet Merlin," Hermione said on an exhale. "What did those three get into now? And will Filius be flooing me later to discuss how to better discipline my daughter?"

"First, he only did that one time and the git she hexed completely deserved it. Al told me he was going in for a feel of something I'd rather not be discussing, as she is my goddaughter and it's kind of creepy, and her wand was quicker than my dear son's. And second, they didn't do anything bad, I assure you. Everything fine. Al was just writing to give me an update. I doubt he'd be angry if I told you but I'd like to wait and get his permission first."

Hermione sighed and crossed her arms. "Your son is too secretive."

"Maybe your daughter isn't secretive enough."

Hermione rolled her eyes again. "They're okay though? There's nothing I need to be worried about, is there?"

Harry's mind flipped into overdrive. He knew Hermione _shouldn't_ be worried about the most recent development but was well aware that she _could_ be. "Nothing at all, Mi. I promise."

Hermione looked skeptical for a moment for sighing and giving Harry a slight nod. "So how's Gin been lately? I know you were having some trouble before …"

"She's about the same. She's been talking about having another baby, if you can believe it. I mean, true, we're not all that old, but another kid?"

"I think it's because of Luna's son Lorcan taking a liking to Lily. Typically it's the father who freaks out over it, but since Lil is so much like Gin, you half expected it a year ago, didn't you?"

Harry gave her a nod and a smile. "She's so much like Gin it's kind of creepy. I mean, she looks like her, acts like her … I thought she'd have _way_ more blokes after her. I thought she and Rose would be competing or something."

Hermione shrugged. "It's not as if Rosie's looking for the attention. It just … I don't know … happens."

"She's her mum's daughter," Harry told her.

"Sure, Harry, because all of the guys at Hogwarts were in a line for me."

"Did you ever stop to think that they would have been if it wasn't for me and Ron? I mean, you were _untouchable_ when we were in school. Ron was a tyrant when blokes talked about you. And, Merlin, after Neville had that dream about you …"

"Neville had a dream about me?" Hermione asked loudly in interruption.

"Oh yeah," Harry chuckled. "Hell, because of _his_ dream, _I_ had several of my own. I was just smart enough to shield my bed."

"What was the dream about?" Hermione asked. When Harry just stared at her with raised eyebrows, Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Oh. But how do you know it was about me?"

Harry's eyes shifted to the door. Seeing no one around, he waved his hand and shut it before muttering a locking and silencing charm. "This does not, under any circumstances, leave this room. The press would _love_ to get a hold of what I'm about to do." Hermione looked at him oddly when he transfigured his couch into a Gryfifndor bed. "This happened in fifth year," he explained as he climbed under the covers. "And if you laugh at me, I will make sure Neville knows you know about what I'm about to do. He'll be a right mess in front of Rose until the day he dies. Or she dies of mortification, as we all know Neville is not good at keeping secrets."

"He's certainly kept this a secret," she said with an arched brow as Harry, under the covers, removed all of his clothing except his boxer shorts.

"No bloke wants anyone to know about his wet dreams, Hermione."

"_Wet dreams_?" she screeched. "Harry James, get out from there right now! I don't … I can't …"

"Most blokes were like this about you, Mi," Harry said. "Now, this is how I know. Pretend I'm Neville."

Hermione was rocked back to the days of her youth for a moment. Harry's child-like statement of "pretend I'm Neville" made her long for their younger days, wishing they'd had a chance to just be children.

She was brought from her internal musings when she heard a breathy "oh yeah" from the bed Harry was currently ensconced in. Her eyes widened as she saw movement under the blankets. "Harry."

"I'm Neville," he said quickly before reverting back into his character. "I never told you this," he whispered. "But I think you're brilliant. And not just in the _smart_ way."

Hermione furrowed her brow before allowing him to continue.

"I really _did_ want to go with you to the ball last year… oh yeah … but Krum got to you … oh, right there … first. And I really wanted to ask you to … a little lower … be my girlfriend. But you and Ron … Merlin! … seemed to be getting really … oh, your mouth … close." Harry took a few steadying breaths, for the first time stopping to think that this was probably not the best idea. He would need to go home and have a nice visit with his wife during his lunch hour. Harry groaned loudly (and quite sensually) before crying out, "Merlin, Hermione, you feel so good wrapped around my …"

"Harry!" Hermione screamed, completely mortified.

The Potter patriarch smirked and pulled his clothes back on as he got out of bed. "Now do you know how we knew?"

Hermione, blushing furiously, muttered several things in his direction, eyes on the ground. "You're a complete prat, Harry Potter."

His smirk never left his face as he did the final clasp on his robe and waved his hand making the bed disappear. "So you see, Mrs. Weasley … even Neville Longbottom had wet dreams about you when we were in Hogwarts. That one was right after the fight at the Ministry."

"So you're telling me that you, Mr. Potter, had a wet dream about me?"

Harry blushed and turned away. "How did we get on this topic?"

"You were explaining to me what was wrong with the kids …"

"Nothing's wrong, Hermione. I told you that. It's just that Al seems to think …" he trailed off as his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth.

Hermione burst out laughing. "Serves you right. I'm sure Rose will tell me if something's wrong. Now, should I leave you like this or fix you for your eight o'clock meeting with Kingsley …?"

Harry glared hard at her until she released him with a smile. "I think I'm going to pop over to Ron's shop for a bit. There might be something dark lurking about and I should probably check it out."

"The only thing dark there," Harry muttered, "is the corner in which you're going to shag his brains out."

Hermione gave him a clever smirk before walking out of his office. He made another sweep, making sure he rid the room of any evidence of his little show, and told his secretary that she could let his appointment in. He would, unfortunately, have to wait to get home to his wife.

--

Draco sat in his quarters, his mind going over what his son had said about his friend. There was no way that Scorpius knew Weasley's sleeping habits because of her passing out in the common room. His son, while nothing like he was during Hogwarts, still would have defied rules to get that girl comfortably into bed.

He couldn't help but ponder whether it was _his_ bed that he took her to.

Granted, Scorpius had never outwardly shown any signs that he was interested in the brown-haired girl. They were friends, much like Potter and Granger were in school.

He often wondered, however, just how close Potter and Granger were. If anyone, he would have imagined Granger losing it to the Boy Wonder. He dismissed it, having been told somewhere down the line the Granger had only been with one man: her husband. And people respected her for it! Leave to the goody-two-shoes bookworm to make abstinence cool again.

He had overheard Weasley telling a younger Rose not to get too close to his son because his father – Weasley Senior- would never forgive her for marrying a pureblood. Astoria actually held him back from attacking the redheaded git.

He would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when Weasley got the letter about his baby girl's Sorting. He imagined the git turning the color of his hair before promptly throwing a fit and then passing out.

Sighing, he got up and walked to the fireplace and threw some floo powder in. "Hey, love," he whispered when he saw his wife and their infant on the couch in front of the fire.

"Hello," she smiled in answer with a soft, melodic voice.

"How is she?"

"Sleeping away. She misses her daddy though."

"He misses her too," he replied in a soft voice. "And her mum."

Astoria Malfoy smiled once again before kissing the baby on her head and laying her in the pram on the end of the couch. "How was your trip up?"

"Long," Draco sighed. "You should have seen the look on Scorpius' face when they announced me though. And his two little mates weren't much better."

"How are Rose and Albus?" his wife asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Better than Scor, I would imagine." He paused, thinking about how he would phrase the next part of the conversation. "Do you think Scorpius is interested in someone? I mean, I know he's dated before … but he's acting a bit odd."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, he went on a bit about his imperfections and those of Al and Rose … and he told me that Rose snores when she sleeps deeply."

Astoria got a look on her face – kind of a half smirk – that made him think his wife knew more than she let on. "How would he know that?" she asked innocently.

"What do you know?" he demanded, trying to sound stern. At her arched eyebrow, he pulled out of the fire and flooed home. "Tell me," he said softly as his arms wrapped around her.

"I know that Scorpius is very much like his father," she whispered, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling her husband down for a slow, deep kiss.

"How's that?" he murmured as his lips traveled down her neck and to her collar bone.

"In the heat of the moment," she whispered as she began to remove his robe and shirt, "your son forgets the silencing charm as well. And he's quite considerate in calling his lover's name instead of some generic _oh baby!_ or something along those lines." She felt his lips pull away. "What did you stop for?"

"Please, please, _please_ tell me that you didn't hear our son locked up in a room with Rose Weasley doing …"

Astoria smiled. "She's a good girl, Draco. She's right for him."

Draco sat heavily on the couch. "Weasley's going to have my head."

Astoria laughed as she climbed onto her husband's lap. "Let's not think about that or the kids. I'm feeling a lot better than I have been since the baby's been born. Let's …"

"Way ahead of you," Draco smiled as he picked up his wife and carried her to the bedroom. He left the door open, just a crack in case the baby started fussing, but remembered the silencing charm.


	5. Chapter Five

"Come to bed," Rose whispered in a thick, tired voice from under the covers of Scorpius' bed. "We have to be up early tomorrow."

"I know. But, you know, I don't know about what Al asked at dinner tonight. I mean, should we really let Harry tell you mum? D'you think she'd be okay with it?"

Rose shifted her curly hair over her shoulder and sighed. Did she think her mum would want to know? Yes. Did she think her mum would be understanding? Yes. Did she think her mum would be able to keep the secret from her dad? That was the hang up. She wasn't sure her mother would be able to prevent her father from finding out. And she was positive that she didn't want her father to know yet.

"I think she'd be okay with it, yes," she responded as he slowly climbed into bed beside her. "And I think she's one of the allies we'll need when we tell dad." At his arched brow, she sighed. "Okay, when _I_ tell Dad."

"I'm not going to make you tell him alone, Rosie," Scorpius said with a slight smile. "This is an _us_ thing, not a _you_ thing. When the time comes, you and I will tell your father together. That way, I can use you as a human shield when he starts firing hexes and curses at me," he joked as he settled down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

The two rested in comfortable silence for a moment before Scorpius leaned over to nuzzle his lips in the juncture of her neck and shoulder. "Do we know where we stand now?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," she breathed as she laced her fingers through his. "We'll tell Al to tell Uncle Harry that he can tell Mum."

"I meant with us," he whispered as his tongue darted out to tickle her bare skin.

"What do you mean?" she asked breathlessly as she wiggled into a position where she was laying flat and he was hovering over her.

"No more messing around, Rose," Scorpius told her seriously. "We're _together_ in a serious, committed and monogamous relationship. You're the only one for me … and I'm the only one for you …" he finished, almost uncertainly.

"You're the only one for me," she confirmed before threading her fingers into his hair and pulling his lips to hers for a long, slow kiss. "There's no one else."

"Good," he whispered. "But I'm still feeling slightly insecure. Perhaps you can _show_ me that I'm the only one?" he asked with a wicked yet innocent smile.

"How about you get started and I'll help you out on the way through," she suggested with a grin of her own.

"I think that can be arranged," he countered, his grin widening as he began to tickle her.

Down in their common room, Draco Malfoy stood near the couch with a look of terror etched on his face.

"Scorpius!" he heard in a shriek. Followed by a giggle. Followed by a loud moan.

He was sure he was paler than he had ever been in his life. He heard the portrait open and watched Albus Potter enter the common room.

"Professor?" Al asked, in a slightly tired voice. "Is everything okay?"

"Merlin, Rose! That feels _fantastic_!" they heard Scorpius shout and then he, too, moaned loudly.

"Fancy a walk to the kitchens for some sweets?" Draco asked the young Potter.

"Yes, sir," Al responded, his wide eyes directed towards the bedroom door that his mates were currently locked behind. "You'd think they would use a silencing charm. Second time today that's happened."

"Second time today?" Draco asked as they entered the corridor. "You mean to say …?"

"I guess they're opting to take advantage of the freedom they now have knowing that I am aware of their situation. As you know, sir, I am the only other student who has access to the Head Common Room, and, since I now officially know about their relationship, they can be freer in private because they know I won't go blabbing it around the castle."

Draco studied the young man who looked just like his father did without the stupid specs. Albus seemed much more mature than Harry had, but on a different level. Harry was forced to grow up too soon and therefore found himself lacking the basic maturity levels but showing adult traits in the form of leadership and determination. Albus, on the other hand, was naturally more mature than most of his mates. He would compare the youngest Potter boy with Granger in terms of maturity, he supposed. Mature because he _was_, not because he _had to_ be.

"So they're really together?" Draco decided to ask.

"In more ways than one," Al said sardonically. "They assumed you knew so I don't feel in remorse in confirming your suspicions."

"Right," Draco said with a sigh. As the two reached the kitchens, Draco tickled the pear and they entered.

"Professor," Al began tentatively, "do you have a problem with Rose and Scorpius being together?"

Draco was silent after he requested pumpkin juice and tarts for the two of them. He motioned for two stools and sat, waiting for Albus to do the same.

Once their food and drink was delivered, Draco let out a sigh. "I don't _really_ have a problem with my son and your cousin dating. I have more of a problem with the knowledge that your uncle with have multiple issues with it. He was angry when the three of you first met. I hear he was furious when Rose was sorted into Slytherin … I just don't want him to fly off the handle and cause irreparable harm."

"I have to be honest, Professor. You're taking this much better than I thought you would."

"My wife taught me how to be a different man, Mr. Potter. She taught me tolerance and patience before she ever taught me love."

--.--

Draco Malfoy had lain low in the years following Voldemort's defeat in 1998. He wasn't in hiding, per se, but he certainly wasn't seeking attention.

His father had been arrested in the days following the Battle of Hogwarts and he had been vindicated, sort of, because he had not killed a soul and because his father had forced him into the Dark Lord's service.

He was not without punishment, however.

Draco was given community service as a way to repay his debt to society. He hadn't been happy about it at first but he quickly adjusted his beliefs.

It was two years into his servitude that he ran into a face from his past. Astoria Greengrass had volunteered to help rebuild some of the areas of Diagon Alley that had not been completely recovered since the War.

She was prettier than he remembered. Prettier than her sister, truth be told, and Daphne was certainly one of the more beautiful classmates he'd had while at Hogwarts. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into something the girls were calling a messy bun. She was dressed in muggle clothing – jeans and a t-shirt with some sort of muggle sweet on it – and was donning a pair of gloves to protect her hands from the splintered wood.

"Malfoy! Get over there and help Miss Greengrass with the apothecary!" his supervisor, Cornish Derby, called after him.

He reluctantly dropped the bush he was planting (rather do the small stuff than the heavy lifting) and made his way over to the younger girl. "How can I help?" he asked in a bored voice.

"You can stop acting as if this is one giant inconvenience and help me move this wood into the bins," Astoria replied succinctly.

"I haven't got a wand until I'm done working at the end of the day," Draco replied.

"Guess you'll have to make do with your hands then," she replied as she grabbed some of the wood, trapped it against her chest, and walked over to the bins. She stood on her toes to try and reach them in, but she was still too short.

Draco noticed this and, without his brain telling them to, his feet moved towards the girl. It seemed, as he reached her, that she had not grown since he last saw her in Hogwarts. Or maybe he had grown more.

She was small, just about five feet three, maybe. Her long hair fell down her back in aesthetically pleasing waves (since the messy bun was messy enough to not hold strong). And it bounced each time she made a hop to try and be able to reach the boards into the bin.

"Allow me," Draco said as he approached, taking the wood from her hands and easily lifting it into the trash. "Guess I'm a little bit useful, yeah?" he asked with a winning smile.

"A little," she retorted before turning her back on him and heading back for more wood. "Cornish, could you please make a step for me so I can get the wood into the bin?"

"Of course, Miss Greengrass," the man replied before setting out to do exactly that.

"Don't want my help anymore?" he asked in his most charming voice. This girl was cute and he was going to do everything he could to make her want to go out with him.

"I neither want nor do I need your assistance, Mr. Malfoy. You can go back to your shrubbery for all I care," she informed him coldly.

He was perplexed. No girl – aside from Granger and the girl Weasley – had ever treated him like this.

Winning her over was going to be harder than he thought.

--.--

Al couldn't help but smile at Professor Malfoy's story. It sounded very much like a story that his Grandmother Weasley had told about his Grandfather Potter.

"I'm getting kind of tired, Professor, but I really would like to hear more of your story. Perhaps we can meet again and you can tell me more?"

Draco was shocked. He hadn't realized he'd been talking aloud. He was even more shocked that Potter's son wanted to hear more about his family. "Sure, Albus. We can arrange a time tomorrow. Stay after your Potions class and we will schedule a meeting."

"Thank you, Professor," Albus said with a tired smile accompanied by a yawn before heading out of the kitchen and towards his own bed in Slytherin.

--

The next morning, Rose and Scorpius woke to the sound of his alarm. "Okay, love. Time to get up," he said through a yawn, voice scratchy with sleep. "We've got class today."

"Mmm," she groaned as she stretched out like a cat. "History then Potions," she said with a sigh. "And we have to tell Al to owl home."

"Right," Scorpius muttered as he rolled out of bed, pulling his robe on as he did so. "You taking a shower or bath?"

"Shower. I want to get to breakfast in time for a full meal. Worked up quite the appetite last night," she informed him.

"I'll join you then. I'll start the water up. How hot?"

"Oh, it was hot …"

"I meant the water, love," he chuckled.

"You choose. Not too cold though."

"Right," he agreed before disappearing into the bathroom. She followed a few moments later.

--

"You can write back to Uncle Harry and let him know that we agree, but only if Mum is the only one he tells," Rose said as she sat beside her cousin at the breakfast table.

Al nodded and pulled out a sheaf of parchment and a quill. He penned a quick note and put it to the side. His owl came in every morning at breakfast just in case he wanted to send something out when the mail came in. "So, how was your night?" he asked.

When his cousin and his best mate both shrugged noncommittally, he smirked. "Hey, Scor, heard you say something was fantastic. Want to share with the class?"

"What?!" Scorpius cried, his eyes darting wildly around, landing on a group of Fifth Year girls who started giggling and whispering amongst each other. He was going to kill that little git.

"I was popping by to ask you something about rounds and I heard you yell out that something was fantastic. What was it?" Albus had somehow inherited his namesake's notorious twinkle.

"He had the Wasps game on the wireless last night," Rose said. "Monroe pulled off a spectacular Wronski Feint. Wish I could have been there to see it."

Al had to hand it to her. The _was_ a Wasps game on last night and, from what Nabeer told him, Monroe _did_ pull off a fantastic Wronski Feint. He narrowed his eyes at her and then nodded slowly. His eyes told her all she needed to know: _You win this one_.

She smirked at him. "Quidditch today?"

"Yeah. You don't have Runes, right?"

"Nah. Dropped it. Not interested in it anymore. Why?" she asked.

"Well, practice is going to be at four and your Runes class wouldn't have been let out until five. Had to make sure my star chaser wasn't going to miss the first hour of the first practice," Al responded.

"Nope," she smiled. "All yours."

"Relatively speaking," Scorpius laughed.

"Prat," she muttered as she cuffed him on the back of his head.

"Unnecessary!" he cried out.

"Oh Merlin," Al muttered as he watched Flitwick whisper something to Professor Malfoy. "Please don't let him come over here. Please don't let him come over here …" he whispered to himself.

"What are you on about?" Rose asked as she broke her tiff with Scorpius. She followed Al's line of sight to the Head Table and sighed. "I hope he doesn't come down here. We'll have enough of those looks in Potions today. You're working with Emma again, you think?" she asked, he last question directed at Scorpius.

"Yeah," he replied dully as the girl in question entered the room.

Emma Forsey made her way down the length of the Slytherin table to take her seat next to Scorpius. "Morning, Al. Scorpius," she said with a smile. "Here a bit early, aren't you?"

"Was rather hungry this morning," Scorpius replied as he glanced over at Rose who rolled her eyes. "Where're Marcy and Brooke?"

"Oh, they've found themselves alternative entertainment this morning," she smiled as she motioned at the two girls giggling at the Gryffindor table.

"Wish you would too," Rose muttered before digging in to her eggs. She quickly kicked Al under the table as he began to chuckle.

"Will you still work with me in Potions this year?" she asked with a tiny pout. "Or is your father going to assign us partners?"

Scorpius internally brightened at that thought. Maybe his father _would_ assign partners. And then he wouldn't have to work with her. His eyes raced to meet his father's, silently begging him not to force him to work with the twit beside him.

Draco met his son's eyes and sighed. He knew what that pleading look meant. He had done it his third year to Snape, begging him not to partner him with Parkinson. Fat load of good that did. His eyes wandered to Rose now, who was angrily eating her eggs and soldiers. Uh oh. Jealousy. And she was a prime mix of her mother and father. This would be bad if he didn't diffuse the situation. He suddenly was glad that he was free until he had his Seventh Years. He would have to make up a roster of partners. And, in the spirit of Granger, make sure they were from different houses.

--

Later that afternoon, Al, Rose and Scorpius filed into the Potions classroom. They were shocked to see little name cards on each desk. With a frown, Scorpius noticed his near the back of the room. The one beside him, however, was not Emma Forsey – thankfully. But it was also neither Rose nor Al. He was being partnered with Carlotta Yenger from Hufflepuff? What was his father on about?

"Who in the name of Morgana's knickers is Paddington Humphrey?" Rose asked loudly.

"I am, Miss Weasley," a snobbish, ridiculously pompous looking Ravenclaw said as he pulled her seat out for her. "And I must say, I am quite looking forward to being your partner for the year. I imagine we'll need to set up a time away from class. How about every Friday night at eight?"

"Friday night is date night," she responded as she shooed him away from her seat and sat down.

"Precisely," he responded with a wink. "I never said we would be working on potions."

_Uh oh_, Al thought as he took his seat beside Michelle Bingsley from Gryffindor. _This is not going to turn out well_.

"Sorry, Paddy," Rose responded dryly, "but I don't date."

"What do you call what you were doing with George Byron last year on Friday nights?"

"First, it was Brian George. Second, it was only two Fridays. And third," she smirked. "I call it having fun."

"Have fun with me," he said as he pulled his chair closer to hers.

"Have fun with yourself."

"Rose …" Al tried.

"Honestly, Miss Weasley, I believe you and I would be a most advantageous match. Your father has been in touch with …"

"My _father_!" she screeched as she shot from her stood, the wood banging loudly on the cement floor.

"Miss Weasley …" Draco began.

"What the hell does my _father_ have to do with anything?"

"He met my father at a Ministry function and they became fast friends. I was to instruct you upon my arrival that our fathers feel we should, as they say, give our romance a chance to blossom," Paddington replied.

"We _have_ no romance," she told him strongly.

"We shall, Miss Weasley. I shall court you for the year and then we shall be engaged upon graduation."

Everyone in the room, including Draco, knew that the punch was coming. Unfortunately, he still had to give her detention for it. Not that the stupid little git didn't deserve it.

"Miss Weasley …"

"Yes, I know. One month of Friday and Saturday detentions," she said as she righted her chair and returned to her seat. "Well worth it."

Draco had to cough to hide the chuckle that threatened to escape. She sure was a spitfire.

"Shall I contact your parents as well?"

"Only if I can be in the room when you do, Professor," she said sweetly, but the malice towards her father shone brightly in her eyes.

"Come by my office tonight and we shall call them in. I have the connection set up."

"Of course, Professor," Rose responded, already mentally making a list of things she would shout at her prat of a father.

--

Later that night, Rose was pacing Draco's office as she waited for her parents to arrive. When they did, her mother began talking before she got a chance to lay into her father.

"Detention for _punching_ someone. Honestly, Rose …"

"It was well deserved," the young brunette responded as she crossed her arms defiantly.

Ron simply stared at Draco.

"Granger, don't forget you hit me pretty hard in our third year …"

"But _I_ didn't get caught. And if you're so bent on defending her, why did you give her detention?" Hermione asked, her hands going directly to her hips in a gesture Draco knew oh-so-well.

"Because she did it in a room full of students. I didn't _want_ to give her detention; I thought the prat got what was coming to him. Now, if you'll relax for a minute, Rose requested you come here tonight for a specific reason. Miss Weasley …"

"Thank you, Professor," she said cordially. Ron nearly fell out of his seat.

"You're here so I can explain, in person, why I punched that pompous git. His name is Paddington Humphrey, by the way. You see, he's gotten it into his mind that he's been given permission to _court_ me." Ron's face paled. "Oh, and after we're done at Hogwarts, he's been given permission to get _engaged_ to me."

"Where in the name of …" Hermione began but her voice trailed off as she followed her daughter's eyes to her husband. "Ronald Billius Weasley!" she shouted. "Please tell me that this Paddington fellow is not the son of Preston Humphrey, that elitist git from the Improper Use of Magic Office!"

"He seemed like a nice guy and I think his son will be just what Rosie needs!' Ron tried to defend.

"What I _need_?" Rose screeched. "What I _need_ is to be allowed to live my own life! You can't just set me up with some ponce because you and his father made nice at a Ministry party! That's not how love works!"

"Rose, be honest with me," Ron said slowly. "Do you really find the idea of a healthy, safe marriage so unappealing?"

"I'm seventeen, Dad! I don't need to be thinking about that. I have enough on my mind. Now call off Mr. Collins and let me be."

"His last name is Humphrey," Ron said, ignorant to the reference. "And I won't rescind my offer. You have to give him a shot first."

"I'm already seeing someone," Rose replied strongly. "And I have no intention of stopping any time soon." She crossed her arms and stared at her father. She was not going to back down from this fight. Not now, not ever.

"Who?" Ron asked with a snort.

"None of your business."

"Ronald …" Hermione began. Harry had told her just before she left that day that he was correct in his suspicions and that she was permitted to know with the stipulation that no one else found out. "Just leave it."

"Tell me immediately, young lady. You may be at school but I am still your father and I demand to know who you're dating."

"No," she snorted. "I won't tell you."

"Tell me!"

"No."

"Tell me, Rose!"

"Ron … Rose …" Oh, if only her daughter wasn't so stubborn …

"No!" she shouted back at him, ignoring her mother.

Draco couldn't hide the smile on his face. Rose was so strong and so stubborn – just like her mother was back in Hogwarts. He could tell the girl was getting angry enough to completely lose her mind. He thought about intervening when …

"Tell me right now, young lady!"

"Scorpius Malfoy!" she shouted with all the anger she possessed. "I'm dating Scorpius Malfoy!"

In one swift move, Ron was out of his chair and heading for Draco.

_Oh shite_, the blonde thought. _He's going to kill me_.

"Ronald Weasley, you sit down right now. I'm not kidding!"

Ron froze in his tracks and was sitting before he even knew what was happening. He frowned to himself when he realized what he had done. "What, Hermione?"

"Getting angry isn't going to change anything," she told him. "If Rose wants to be with Scorpius then _you_ will say nothing about it."

Ron stared at his wife for a minute before turning to his daughter. "First you're _in_ Slytherin and now you're dating a _Malfoy_?" He shook his head in an overly-despondent manner.

"You said you were okay with me being in Slytherin," Rose replied nervously.

Ron, it seemed, either didn't hear her or chose not to acknowledge her. "You're to stay here over all holidays, Rose. I don't want to see you again until you straighten yourself out." He then rose from his chair and walked to the fireplace, flooing out without a backwards glance.

"Daddy …" Rose whispered, tears welling in her eyes. She turned to her mother.

Hermione rushed to her daughter and held her close. "We'll fix this, angel. I promise."

"You should go home," she whispered. "Don't need him mad at you too."

"It's all going to work out in the end, Rosebud," Hermione whispered before kissing her daughter on the forehead. "Write to me. I'll talk to your father."

Rose just nodded and sat down in her chair. The tears did not fall but her eyes remained slightly wet. "I'm ready for my detention now, Professor."

"Rose, it's not Friday yet," Draco responded in a gentle voice. The display he saw reminded him so much of an exchange he'd had with _his_ father that it ripped at his heart.

"Please, Professor. Give me something to do. I …"

"Here, Miss Weasley. You can help me revise the seating chart for your class and then help me establish them for the others," Draco said.

"Why are you redoing the one for our class?" she asked him.

"Because as much as I enjoyed the right hook you landed on Mr. Humphrey, I don't believe we should repeat that during the next lesson. And I will make sure he doesn't go near you. And I will inform Professor Longbottom as well … I know Humphrey is in Herbology with you."

"Thank you, Professor," she whispered.

He nodded slightly and gripped her shoulder in silent understanding. After their eyes met for a few moments, they both set about arranging seats in all of the Potions classes.


	6. Chapter Six

"Ronald Weasley, you sit on that couch right now and talk to me," Hermione said strongly after she returned home a few minutes after her husband had left Hogwarts. "What you did in there tonight was _appalling_."

"No, Hermione, it wasn't," her husband spat as he turned to face his irate wife. "It was all well deserved. What did I tell her right before she got on the train that first day? Huh? I'll tell you what I told her. I told her not to get too close to him. And what does she do? Why, my little stubborn daughter, who is too much like you for her own good sometimes, gets herself sorted into _Slytherin_ of all Houses and then _befriends_ the same little git I told her to keep away from! And now she's _dating_ him? It's too much, Hermione. Even _you_ have to admit that."

Hermione could not believe her ears. Ron had been getting better with Rose being in Slytherin (though it took him six years) and she thought he would finally be able to put this nonsense behind him. She assumed it wouldn't fully go away until Rose had left Hogwarts and gone off into the "real world" but, with his behavior tonight, she realized it was all nothing but a ruse. He would never accept that Rose was a Slytherin (though not of her choosing) and he was now worse off because she was dating his _childhood_ nemesis's son. Hermione's mind put an emphasis on the child part.

"No, Ronald, I do not," she responded hotly as she put her hands on her hips. "If Scorpius can make Rose happy then we should leave well enough alone. I mean, honestly, it's _Rose_ …"

"Yes, Hermione, it's Rose. Our little _Slytherin_ daughter," Ron interjected. He paced back and forth for a moment before turning his eyes back on his wife. "I'm done with her until she sees the error of her ways. And if you want to side with her, fine. But I'm not sitting around here with a Slytherin sympathizer. I'll find somewhere else to stay."

Hermione was frozen in shock for a few seconds before shaking her head, her tears freely falling down her cheeks. "No, Ron," she whispered. "You stay here. I'll find somewhere else. I mean, obviously you think I'm in the wrong here so you shouldn't have to be displaced because you're a giant honking git whose head is so far up his arse it's a wonder he can see daylight! I am _disgusted_ with you," she concluded before stomping off to their bedroom and quickly packing a suitcase. "I'll contact you when I've cooled off!" she screamed before popping out of the house.

--

"Ginny, please," Harry said as he rubbed his eyes, again, in frustration. "I have _no idea_ what's going on with Lily. It's not that I don't care; I do. It's just … she wouldn't talk to me about these things and if she's not talking to you, I don't think she's talking to …"

Harry's voice was drowned out at a frustrated scream echoed through the parlor. "Uh oh. Hermione's here. Wonder what Ron did this time …"

"Why do you always assume Ron's done something wrong?" Ginny asked, obviously in the mood to fight.

"Because he usually has," Harry replied easily as he strode out of the kitchen and into the parlor to find Hermione and a suitcase. "What's wrong?"

"My git of a husband," she replied strongly. "I think I've done rather well with putting up with his attitude towards Rose. But after tonight and what he's done … well I've just about had it with him completely."

"You're going to _divorce_ him?" Ginny asked as she walked into the parlor as well. "You can't do that, Hermione. Think about the ramifications in the press …"

"Oh sod the press, Ginny!" Harry shouted. "Obviously there's something serious going on …"

"Ron's gone ahead and given some kid permission to _court_ and _marry_ Rose without anyone's consent claiming that it would be _good_ for her. He's … We got called to Hogwarts tonight by Draco because Rose punched this guy out. Then there was a _huge_ row between Ron and Rose and he told her he doesn't want her coming home until she's … well, let's say Ron knows about Rose's love interest and he won't let her come home until she's done with him. He told me right before I left that he was done with her and if I wanted to side with her on the issue that he would leave," Hermione choked out with a sob. "I left before he could."

Harry took Hermione into his arms and let her cry it out. Ginny, thoroughly perplexed, wisely kept her mouth shut. All of a sudden her row with Harry didn't seem so important. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"No," Hermione told her sister-in-law. "Thank you though. I suppose I'll be heading to the Leaky or something. You can reach me there by owl."

"You can stay here, Hermione," Ginny answered. "We've got more than enough room."

"Thanks, Gin, but I'd rather not. Ron'll be here tomorrow, no doubt, and I don't want to put any more undue stress on you two." She kissed them both on the cheek before grabbing her suitcase and once more popping out.

Ginny, after staring at the spot her sister-in-law had recently disappeared from, turned and wrapped her arms around Harry. "I'm sorry. I love you."

Harry sighed and returned the embrace. He placed a kiss on the top of his wife's head before repeating her sentiments in a whisper. Knowing Ron and Hermione, and knowing their relationships with their children, Harry silently wondered if they would be able to make it through this fight.

--

"Rose," Draco called as the young woman was about to exit his classroom.

"Yes, Professor?" she asked softly.

Draco wanted to get up and shake her out of the painful numbness he could tell she was in. He had been in the House his father had wanted and, for a long time, done what his father told him to do. But Rose Weasley was different. From day one at Hogwarts, Rose had gone against everything her father had known. And Merlin knows Ron Weasley does not do well with change.

"Chin up. It'll all work out. I'm living proof," he said with an attempted smile.

She nodded slowly and silently before leaving Draco to his own thoughts.

Growing up, Draco had only been taught one trait: obedience. He did what he was told when he was told to do it. It was very much the same when he got to Hogwarts, though the number of people whom he deemed worthy to give him such orders shrank to Lucius, Narcissa and Severus. And, when Sixth Year came, he made an attempt to follow the Dark Lord. Luckily (or unluckily) for him, he was never fully able to carry out any of the missions set forth to him.

His father, after the horrible incidents _that night_, had started treating him much in the way Ron Weasley was treating his only daughter right now. His only hope was that Ron, like Lucius, was able to slowly redeem himself in the eyes of his daughter. Draco wasn't sure he would be able to forgive Ron if he were in Rose's position.

He whispered a silent prayer for Granger (he would still never call her Weasley as he never considered the redhead good enough for Hogwarts' brightest student) and hoped she would be able to sort the git out. If she couldn't no one could.

He took a deep breath and silently decided that he needed to hold his daughter in his arms. He didn't care how late it was or that Astoria would have a right fit about him coming home just for that but he couldn't help it. He had never imagined seeing Ron Weasley's daughter so hurt that she would do just about anything to not think of it – including ask for a detention. He would never have guessed he would be doing everything exactly the _opposite_ of how Weasley was raising his children. _Well_, he thought,_ probably just Rose. Word has it Hugo is perfect in that ginger-headed idiot's eyes_.

He took a pinch of floo powder and called out his home address before stepping into the grate. It was after ten o'clock and he knew his wife would be getting ready for bed (if she wasn't in bed already).

He silently made his way up to the first floor and opened the door to his bedroom. The door adjacent was cracked slightly and the light was on. He could hear running water so he took it to mean that Tor was showering.

He looked to the right of the bed and saw Lyra's bassinet. He walked over slowly and pulled his not-surprisingly wide-awake infant out and cradled her to his chest. "Hey, love," he whispered as he rocked her back and forth. "You should be sleeping. Your Mum would love to be able to have a rest."

Lyra gave a wide yawn and Draco smiled. "Don't let your Mum catch you listening to me, baby girl. She's quite stubborn about things like that," he said in a soft voice with a smile. "She was always so _stubborn_ …"

--.--

"Astoria, please, just listen to me!" Draco called out. "It wasn't what it looked like!"

"_Wasn't what it looked like_?!" the dark-haired young woman shouted out angrily as she spun to meet the eyes of her fellow volunteer. "If it wasn't what it looked like then please, Mr. Malfoy, do tell me what it was."

Draco winced at the use of his last name and hastily responded, "I was trying to make sure it wasn't something that needed to be turned in. I thought it looked like something I had seen once …"

"In your own house …" she spat angrily.

"Possibly," he continued. "I wanted to make sure that it _wasn't_. I mean, with them building the new play park here," he said as he motioned around the lush grass and the beginnings of toys for children, "I didn't want any kids getting hurt. That thing can blend right in and no one would know the difference." He paused for a moment before continuing, "Sometimes I can come in handy and this was one of them. That thing could have gone off at any time – who knows what the sick bastard put as the trigger words? – and loads of people could have been hurt. Hell, Astoria," Draco said as he raked a hand through his blonde hair, "_you_ could have been hurt and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that had happened."

He had been trying for months to get her to go out with him. Nothing worked. He had tried being smooth. He had tried being charming. She simply had no interest in him, it seemed. So about three weeks ago he had stopped trying to get her to go out with him. He wouldn't place himself deliberately in her work group, he would not make suggestive comments, and he wouldn't do anything to make her uncomfortable.

He _had_ however, changed without knowing it. He had become considerate, helping others if he had a free moment (or dropping what he was doing if it was something time-sensitive) and having a generally appealing attitude. He was only slightly sarcastic (and not in the biting way he had been before) and never maliciously mocked anyone.

Granger, having gone to the site to volunteer during her vacation from the Ministry, had commented on it with a smile. He figured if _Granger_ had noticed he _must_ have changed. And he found he felt better for it.

"It's not going to work, Malfoy," Astoria responded harshly. "You're not going to get me to agree to go out with you because of what you did today."

"I wasn't trying to," Draco responded with a shrug. "In fact, if you think back, I haven't asked you out in nearly a month. Don't you figure I would have kept on it if I intended to press the issue? You're not interested in me; I get it. Whether you like to think so or not, Miss Greengrass, I _have_ grown up and can see when I should cede the battle. You win," he continued with a genuine smile. "I won't ask you out again." He gave her another smile and a small nod before heading off to another group of workers trying to fix a swing set, whatever _that_ was.

Astoria watched him go for a moment before shouting out, "Friday."

He paused, wondering if she was talking to him, and turned back to face her. "What?" he asked, loud enough to be heard from the distance between them.

"I'll go out with you Friday night. But it's not a date or anything. Just a drink between friends down the pub. A _muggle_ pub in Fulham. It's called the Imperial Arms. Be there at eight. If you're not, I'm leaving at eight-oh-five," she told him before turning and walking back to a group of women working on the flower garden.

Draco smiled to himself as he turned back and headed towards the men. He would certainly have to find out where this Fulham place was and be there by seven thirty. He wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. True, he had given up on her romantically but he could use a friend. He seemed to have been running short on those in recent times.

--.--

"Draco!" Astoria gasped as she entered their bedroom wrapped in a towel. "What are you doing home again?"

"I had to see Lyra," he whispered as his eyes traveled down to his daughter once again.

"What's wrong, love?" she asked as she sat beside him on the bed. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine … it's … Rose Weasley – Hermione's daughter – punched out some git in my class today, for a very good reason, mind, and asked that I call her parents in tonight. Well, she and her dad, _the idiot_, got into a spectacular row and she ended up telling him about her and Scor. He then proceeded to tell her not to go home until she _sorts herself out_. I mean, what kind of man could do that to his daughter?" His eyes drifted down to a now-dozing Lyra in his arms. "I just had to see her … had to hold her."

"Oh, baby," Astoria whispered. "It's going to work out in the end."

"You always were so optimistic," he said quietly with a soft smile before leaning and in gently pressing his lips to hers.

--

Rose slowly made her way back to the Head Dormitory. She whispered the password dully and entered the common room. She didn't expect to find her boyfriend waiting up for her.

"Hey. How did it go?" Scorpius asked. And then the unthinkable happened: Rose burst out in heart-wrenching sobs. He quickly shot from the couch and wrapped his arms around her as she clung to him for dear life. She was holding him as if she would lose him (or herself) if she didn't. "Rose?" he asked in a panic. "Rose, please talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. You're scaring me."

"H-he h-h-hates m-me," she stuttered out between sobs. "H-he told me n-not to come h-home again!"

"Who did? Your dad?" he asked as he moved her over to the couch and pulled her down into his lap.

She nodded against his chest and he silently cursed Ron Weasley. He knew he wouldn't get anything of value out of Rose until she calmed down (the girl could barely talk!) so he had to wait it out.

Scorpius wasn't lying when he said she was scaring him. Rose never cried, ever. She was always strong and silent, never wanting to act too emotional. He assumed it was a rough edge brought on by having such a large family. And with her father's blatant displeasure with her House and choice of friends, he assumed that she kept her "Slytherin Shield" up all the time. He couldn't remember the last time he saw her cry – possibly when she learned of her grandmother's death two years ago.

He rubbed her back and whispered soothing words until her crying subsided and she was left with little sniffles. "Now explain to me what happened …"

Rose launched quietly into the story and Scorpius found that he was happy to have her in his lap because, had she not been, he would have been marching to his father's office and flooing to pay Mr. Weasley a visit. He hated her father for having such an effect on her. He was the one she strove to make happy and it seemed nothing was good enough. Hell, he was trying to marry her off to someone who would make her completely miserable!

"I told him I was seeing you," she continued in a tiny voice. "Shouted it at him, really, and he went off the handle. He told me I couldn't come home until we broke off."

If Scorpius had been an honorable Gryffindor or a meek Hufflepuff he probably would have told her that he would back off until they were out of Hogwarts and could try to make it on their own. But he wasn't a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff. He was a Slytherin and a selfish one at that. He was in love with the girl on his lap and would do anything at all to make her happy – except let her go. Though he knew she wouldn't want that either. He simply tilted her chin up and pressed his lips to hers. "We'll sort it all out," he told her confidently. "If worse comes to worse, I'll stay here with you. Or we can ask if you can come home with me. You won't be alone for the holidays. It's you and me, Rose, I promise. I won't let him ruin anything. Know that I love you and …"

"You love me?" she asked as her drooping eyes snapped open and locked on his.

"I do," he whispered. "And that's why I won't give you up no matter what your father says."

"Of _course_ you won't give me up. And even if you did," she told him, "I wouldn't give _you_ up. I love you too much for that. You're stuck with me until you tire of me," she added cheekily.

"Maybe I should just buy the ring next Hogsmeade visit," he joked. "Because I don't see me tiring of you any time soon."

She smiled and shoved him playfully.

"Thank you," she said after a few silent moments. "I'm glad you were here when I got in. You were the only person I wanted to see."

"You sure know how to make a bloke feel real good, Weasley," Albus commented from across the room.

He had sat silently and allowed his best mate to comfort Rose the best he could. He knew that she hadn't noticed him and Scorpius had forgotten all about him in his rush to comfort his girlfriend. Not that Al minded. It was just another opportunity to observe them together.

While he kept an impassive countenance, Al was silently seething on the inside. He was angrier with his Uncle Ron now then he ever had been before. And Albus Potter was not known for his inaction. Something would have to be done to make Ron wise to what his actions had caused.

"Sorry, Al, didn't see you there," Rose said with a slight blush.

"No worries, Rosie," Al smiled as he walked to her and placed a kiss on her head. "We'll talk tomorrow. Right now you two should get some sleep. Double Defense and Charms in the morning." He gave Scorpius a nod and pressed another kiss to Rose's head before leaving them alone.

They stood and made their way towards their bedroom (or _his_ which had become _theirs_) hand in hand. As Scorpius was shutting the door he playfully said, "I think you need to be punished for shouting out our relationship without me there."

As the door closed, the only thing that could be hear was a giggle and then half a moan as Scorpius had finally remembered to cast a silencing charm.


	7. Chapter Seven

The next morning, Scorpius woke up and stretched before reaching over to feel for Rose. He didn't know if he was surprised or not to find the position empty. It was still early (though his girlfriend was notoriously an early riser) but the dawn was just breaking and she even stayed in bed a little longer than that.

He had assumed she would be quite worn out – emotionally and physically. He had made love to her – which was what he considered it: making love, not having sex and certainly not fucking - three times over the course of the night in an attempt to prove his love, help her relax and, as an added bonus, help her sleep.

Obviously the last didn't work as well as he'd hoped.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness and then he heard it: the quiet sobs coming from the bathroom. He knew that he hadn't been able to erase the pain and he wasn't certain he would have if he could have. Rose loved her father to a fault. She always forgave him and sometimes it made Scorpius wonder what the older man had drilled into her head as she was growing up.

He took a deep breath before removing the blankets and pulling on a pair of boxer shorts. He stretched once more and moved into the bathroom. The scene before him made his heart break more than it had the night before.

Rose had started the shower since he's woken up and she'd climbed inside. He thought perhaps that she had wanted the dull thud of the water which, as he reached a hand out to test it, was icy cold. He quickly turned up the heat and climbed in with her, boxers and all, and scooped her into his arms.

She had been curled on the floor, knees pressed tightly to her chest, head resting on her knees, and was sobbing loudly again.

His strong, beautiful girlfriend had been brought to tears at the mere _thought_ of her worthless father and he knew, as she wrapped herself around him and cried more, that regardless of whether or not his girlfriend forgave her unworthy father, he would never do so. Ron Weasley had broken the woman he was in love with and it would take a hell of a lot more than just a few simple words to make him forgive.

"Shhh, Rosie, I know," he whispered as he rocked her shaking form back and forth. "I know it doesn't seem like it right now but it _will_ get better. I promise, regardless of the final outcome, things will be better."

"You can't know that," she whimpered in a tortured voice. "You don't know what it's like to have your father hate you. You don't know what it's like to be tearing apart your parents' marriage. You just don't get it!" she cried out before abruptly ripping herself from his arms and leaving the bathroom.

He stayed on his knees and let the lukewarm water pour over him as he heard her quickly dress and leave his bedroom. He would give her time and space before he tried to get through to her again. Rose, when upset, could easily react like a caged animal and he didn't need her lashing out and harming their relationship. He knew, in the back of his mind, that nothing she did when she was like this could ever cause him to give up on her. He briefly wondered if that was the state of mind she was in when she dealt with her father.

He heard two more doors slam and assumed that meant she had gone. He slowly stripped off his shorts and had a quick shower before heading back to his room to get dressed. He did so at an average pace – he knew she wouldn't be at breakfast anyway – and then silently gathered his school bag (and wand) and headed up towards the Great Hall.

Predictably, when he arrived he saw the seat for the Head Girl vacant and Albus' concerned eyes scanning the room. He stopped to tell one of the younger years to make sure his tie was fixed correctly before class (as Slytherin's were often known as the most presentable House) and then continued on to his friend.

"Have you seen Rose?" Albus asked before Scorpius' rear even touched the seat.

"Yes," the blonde replied. "Back in our room. But she's a bit … off … today, which I don't blame her for, and I said the wrong thing, apparently, and she took off like a hippogriff towards a dead ferret. I knew she wouldn't be here this morning for breakfast with the way she flew out of the dormitory. I figure if she doesn't show up for Double Defense then I'll skive off and go find her. No use in her grades suffering because her dad's a giant git."

Albus nodded silently before allowing his eyes to travel up to Scorpius' father. From what his dad and Aunt Hermione told him, Draco Malfoy'd had a rotten time with his father when he was at Hogwarts. He chewed on a bit of bacon thoughtfully for a moment before turning to his mate once again. "D'ya reckon your dad would be able to talk to Rose? I mean, I know it's not exactly the same but …"

Scorpius nodded slowly as Albus' words trailed off. He was sure his father wouldn't mind talking to his girlfriend. While Draco Malfoy was always quiet about the relationship he had with his father growing up, Scorpius was privy to more information than most. He put down his fork and looked up to the Head Table, staring at his father until her turned to look at him.

Draco could feel eyes on him and it was somewhat unnerving. He couldn't possibly guess who it would be _that_ early. He knew his son usually stared at him when he wanted something but it was barely seven and Scorpius was known to be notoriously late for breakfast.

However, as the Potions professor scanned the Great Hall, his eyes landed on those of his son. He quizzically arched a brow. He son subtly indicated the entrance of the Great Hall and stood to head in that direction.

"When Filius gets here please tell him I would like a word with him later in the day when he is at his leisure," Draco requested of Neville before slipping out the side door and going around to the spot he knew Scorpius would be waiting; it was the same spot he would meet with Severus when they needed to talk.

As he entered the small alcove behind the tapestry of Hindergard the Humble Draco could already sense that things went from bad to worse in the area of Rose Weasley.

"What happened?" he asked.

And Scorpius recounted the whole story. He left out the part about their making love but he knew his father was smart enough to figure out what had happened. He told Draco about Rose's breakdown the night before and about the fight in the shower that morning. He was quite relieved when his father made no comment about the act of being in the shower together just about the fact that Scorpius shouldn't feel too hurt by what Rose had said and done.

"She's hurting, son. I know that she shouldn't be pushing you away but it's what happens. She may be a Granger/Weasley but she's spent a lot of time with Potter. He used to do the same thing when we were your age. But I promise you, as you promised her, that things will get better. Just make sure you stick by her; let her know you love her. Don't let her push you away. Don't _ever_ let her push you away when she needs you …"

--.--

"Just leave me alone!" Astoria shouted at Draco. "I don't need your help and I certainly don't need _you_!" she screamed.

"Astoria, please. Please let me in," he said in a gentle demand as he leaned against the solid door to her flat. He was on the outside and she was on the inside. But she was hurting so bad and he couldn't get to her.

They had been "not dating" for about three months when she got word that her sister, who hadn't needed a job but taken one as an auror, had been kidnapped. Daphne had decided that she wanted to give back in her own way and joining the likes of Harry Potter during the war wasn't possible so she waited and joined the auror squad. Harry had immediately drafter her onto his team because of her analytical skills. Draco figured he saw a lot of Granger in the pureblood girl and figured that since he couldn't have Granger he would settle for Greengrass.

Potter had been the one to show up at the restaurant they were at and quietly escorted them to a secluded place and told them the news. Astoria (his calm, well-tempered, wonderful Astoria) flew off the handle. She started crying and screaming and took off before Draco had the chance to wrap his arms around her.

"It was some of your dad's old mates," Harry said quietly. "I've seen this enough recently to know that you're going to be blamed for a whole load of things you didn't do. Stay steady, Malfoy. Hermione'll be ready to talk to you when you're ready to talk to her."

Few people knew that Granger and he had forged a friendship during her week of volunteering in Diagon Alley. They got together quite often and she became something of a free shrink to him. They could vent their angers and frustrations at each other, screaming and yelling all they wanted and it never hurt because the past would always hurt more. Yes, he knew he would be going to see Granger soon.

He also knew that Weasley would be hacked off at him again. Sometimes he wondered if the redhead only proposed to Granger because he was afraid that she was falling for _him_. He figured Weasley would have been more than content to live in sin and shag the stuffing out of Granger without ever having to put a ring on her finger.

He watched Potter go before taking a deep breath and focusing on his non-girlfriend's flat. He was kind of shocked when he hit her wards and was thrust into the corridor. That was where he found himself presently.

"Please, Astoria, let me in. Talk to me about this …"

"Why should I talk to you?!" she screamed. "I was probably just some pawn in your plans! Did I help you get your target – my _sister_! – by telling you all about what was going on with her? Huh? Did you happily run back to your mates every night and tell them what I told you? Am I next? Am I the next target in your sick life, Malfoy?"

"Stop it!" he shouted loudly. "I had _nothing_ to do with this! I'm not one of them. Not anymore! You know that, Tor," he continued in a soft voice. "They made me do it and as soon as I could get out I did. You know that. We talk about it all the time. Please just let me in. Please," he begged.

She was silent for a few moments and Draco thought she'd left him to sit out there all night. He knew he would do it too. He would wait as long as it took to get her to see him again.

"You weren't just dating me to get to Daphne?" she asked quietly from the other side of the door.

"No," he responded in the same tone of voice. "I'm dating you because I really like you, Tor. I've never done anything half way. You and me … we have _nothing_ to do with what happened. I don't think Daph was the intended target but more a target of convenience. I can promise, though, that Potter and his team will get her back."

"How can you promise that?" she asked as she slowly undid the lock and pulled open the door.

He was stunned, heartbroken, as he looked at the woman in front of him. She looked quite mussed but not in a good way. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks were red and tear-streaked and her hair was something akin to what Granger's was like back at Hogwarts. "Because I'll talk to him. I'll make sure he knows how important this is. But, Tor, he would anyway. That's just the type of bloke he is."

She nodded and let him into the flat before turning and sitting on the couch. He quietly shut the door behind him and joined her. "Everything will be okay, love," he whispered as he pulled her into an embrace. "And if you need someone to talk to and you don't want to talk to me, which I wouldn't be happy about but would respect, then Granger's pretty good at listening …"

"She's a good friend of yours these days …" Astoria said leadingly.

"She is," Draco confirmed with a nod. "She was one of the first people to accept me after the war. She and I both grew up. We fight all the time still but it's not like before. And I know that she's the one person I can go to who won't judge me because of my past."

Astoria arched an eyebrow at him. "You don't think you can come to me?"

"I hope I can one day, love, but you just accused me of dating you to help some renegade Death Eaters kidnap your sister …"

"We're not dating," she replied automatically.

"Ahh, I believe we are, Miss Greengrass, by your own admission as scant ten minutes ago," he replied with a smile.

"It was the only word I could think of," she told him quickly. "I had no other word to describe our relationship …"

"You couldn't think of the word friends?" he asked cheekily. "Well, good. Because, since you were the first to say the word, I accept that we are dating. Yes, Miss Greengrass, I _will_ be your boyfriend. Thank you for asking."

"I didn't!" she cried out.

"But you were the first to say we were dating and I took it as an invitation. I'm very flattered that you fancy me, Tor. I was kind of hoping it wasn't completely one-sided."

"You're a prat."

"You're beautiful," he whispered as he ran a gentle hand over her cheek.

"Don't change the subject," she protested before Draco slowly swooped down and pressed his lips lightly to hers.

--.-

"Dad?" Scorpius called for the fifth time. He never knew his father to space out like he was doing in that moment. "Are you okay?" he pressed as he waved his hand in front of his father's vacant expression.

"What?" Draco asked as he shook himself from his memories. That had been the first time he'd kissed his wife and it was always so easy to get pulled back into that moment. It was one of the best of his life. "What did you say?"

"I said I won't let her pull away from me. I just wanted to give her some time to cool off. And I also wanted to ask if you would be willing to talk to her. I know you had some problems with Grandfather Lucius when you were growing up and, while I know it's not the same, Al and I thought that you might be able to help her through it."

"I'll try to speak with her after dinner tonight," Draco agreed. "But I warn you, Scor, she might not want to talk to me. I can only do so much."

"I know, Dad. Thanks. You're a good man," his son responded before giving him a brief hug and walking back towards the Great Hall.

Draco could think of few times where he felt as good as he did in that moment.

--

"Good morning, Hermione," Harry said as he saw her walk into the MLE headquarters. Truth be told he had been standing at the coffeemaker for about thirty minutes waiting for her to arrive.

"Morning, Harry," she responded as she continued past him and towards her office.

Harry groaned. He knew it would be this way but he had hoped she would have at least said more than those two words to him. He followed her silently and prevented her from shutting the door with him on the outside. He shut the door when they were both inside her office and then turned to her. "How was your night?"

"Fine," she replied tersely. "I've never been fond of hotels but the Leaky wasn't too bad."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"What do you want me to say, Harry? That I feel like I'm losing my husband? I don't know what's wrong with him. Rose isn't anything like the Slytherins of our day. And neither are Al or Scorpius for that matter. I can't fathom why my husband won't grow up. He's breaking Rose's heart and mine, Harry. It just hurts so much. I love him, Harry. You know that and you know that I always will. But right now I don't really like him and it hurts my heart to feel that way," Hermione confessed. "I just want to know why this seems to be too much for him …"

"I don't have the answer to that, Hermione," Harry told her quietly. "I know it hurts though and I need you to know that Gin and I are here for you no matter what. You _do_ know that, right?"

Hermione nodded slowly before wrapping her arms around him. "Poor Rose," she whispered. "I hope she doesn't blame herself for this …"

Harry knew that she already was. He just hoped that_ someone_ would be able to get through to her that she wasn't to blame.


	8. Chapter Eight

The rest of the week flew by with Draco unable to get Rose to speak with him. He knew he shouldn't be, but he was quite frustrated with the girl's ability to dodge him outside of class. She was a clever girl – so like her mother in that regard – but he couldn't help but envision her self-destruction if she didn't speak to someone about it.

From what his son had said, Rose moved back into the Slytherin girls' dormitory and was avoiding him as well. They got on fine in their classes but, other than that, she had been quite artful in dodging his son as well.

He was glad it was the weekend, as he'd made plans to visit with Granger. He knew that he needed someone to vent to and he knew she was the perfect candidate. She always took whatever he spat at her with a grain of salt and, if she were in a temper as well, throw back scathing retorts.

He flooed directly to the Ministry, knowing somewhere in the back of his mind that she would still be at work. He figured she would have to be since she told him not to meet her at her home.

He moved through the atrium, smirking at the fountain granger had commissioned, and to the lifts where he promptly told the worker that he needed to go to Level Four – Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He tried not to scowl when the pimply teenager smirked at him.

It only took a few minutes but it seemed like forever to him. He hadn't seen Granger in quite some time and he found himself missing her. They tried to get together ever couple of weeks but since taking the job at Hogwarts, he had been too busy to schedule a time to see her. He hoped they would be able to catch up a bit before their inevitable shouting session.

"C'mon, Granger," he called when he walked into her office. "Pack it up and we'll go back to your place and I'll cook some dinner."

Hermione's head shot up from the parchment she was reading to take in the blonde man in her doorway. He looked like he was wanting to talk to her for a reason and she assumed it was – as many things were these days – about her daughter. "Oh! Erm – no, uh, Malfoy. We can, er, go out for dinner. I wouldn't mind. No need for you to cook …"

"Nonsense, Granger. Gather all the rubbish you're inevitably going to bring home and let's get on with it. I'm starved and I don't think our conversation today is something either of us wants to be fodder for that rag your sister-in-law works for …" He noticed Hermione wince when he referenced Ginny. "Something wrong, Granger?"

"Huh? Oh, no …" she responded slowly. "Maybe we should put this off if it needs to be done in private. I know Astoria's home with the baby and you don't want to disturb them so we can always meet some other time … or we can stay here and I'll have my assistant run down to the café and get us some dinner …"

"Why can't we just go back to your place? I bought some really good pasta for a lasagna. I know how you love my lasagna, Granger. C'mon … let's …"

"I don't live there right now," she blurted out.

Draco froze in his tracks. What did she mean she didn't live there? "You having some remodeling done?" he asked.

"Not as such," she responded primly.

He turned and closed the door before casting a silencing charm. "Out with it," he said seriously. "You haven't acted this way in a while – since you were pregnant with Rose. I didn't even _know_ about her until she was, what, three? We went _years_ without talking and, let me tell you, Granger, I don't want that to happen again. So, c'mon, out with it. Are you pregnant again?"

"No!" she shouted. She sounded almost appalled at the thought. "No. Nothing like that. Though if I were it would be a miracle," she muttered, not knowing he could hear her.

That one little sentence gave him pause. She wouldn't go home; she said she wasn't staying there right now. She was withdrawn. She looked tired and frazzled. He took a deep breath and sat in the chair across from her. He noticed her eyes had moved back down to her parchment. When he saw a drop of water fall from under the veil of her hair, he reached across the desk and placed his hand on hers. "Talk to me, Granger."

"I'm a failure," she whispered, her head still bowed.

"A failure? At what?" he asked disbelievingly. "I've never known you to fail at anything."

"I failed at my marriage, Draco," she responded. "He – he's so _angry_ about _everything_ and there's nothing I can do to make it right. First she's got brownish hair instead of red – only Victoire and Dominique don't have the Weasley red and that's because Fleur's veela genes prevented it – and then she was a Slytherin and now she's gone and started _dating_ a Slytherin … and he blames me because I've always told her to be independent and not do what everyone expected of her. I told her she should only live up to her own expectations and look where it got me … in a broken marriage with next to no hope of fixing it."

"Granger …"

"He tried to walk out on me … but I wouldn't give him the chance. I left him first. Something else I can be blamed for, I'm sure. I didn't fight to keep him with me; I left before he could. Does that make me a coward?" she asked softly.

"No," Draco responded as he gripped her hand tighter. "It makes you strong." He paused for a moment, staring into her glistening brown eyes before continuing, "He was like this when she was first Sorted too, wasn't he? Maybe not this _bad_, but …"

--

"Where did Scorpius get Sorted?" she asked quietly over a cup of coffee on September 3, 2017.

"Slytherin," Draco responded after he took a sip of his own coffee. "He said he was nervous about it and the Hat actually considered him for all of the other Houses before he was placed. He was in a right state, concerned that he had been considered for Hufflepuff," he added with a laugh. "And Rose? A prim Gryffindor like her mother?"

"Slytherin," she said softly.

"Yes, Scorpius _is_ in Slytherin. But I asked where your daughter was placed."

"And I told you, Draco," she responded in the same quiet voice. "Rose was Sorted into Slytherin with Al. She wrote that the Hat didn't even have to really think about it. The way she described it made me think of the way the Hat put _you_ in Slytherin so quickly. But then she said that it was talking rapidly, as if confused. It knew she was a Weasley but because of her independence and ability to be sly and cunning that she _definitely belonged in Slytherin_. Ron's not even talking to me. He said it was all my fault …"

"How is it _your_ fault?" Draco asked. He continued before she could answer. "How could it be _anyone's_ fault? She was put in Slytherin. So what? Didn't you say Potter's boy was put in there as well? It can't be all that bad …"

"He said I made her too strong-minded. He's seen firsthand how she can manipulate almost any of the men in our family to do whatever she wants … it's … he's saying it's all my fault that she's the first Weasley _ever_ to be in Slytherin! I'm so afraid he's going to cut Rose out …"

"He's not that stupid, Granger," Draco said consolingly. "He's just in shock."

"You wouldn't be saying that if Scorpius was put in Gryffindor," she shot back petulantly.

"No," he laughed. "I don't suppose I would. But, hey, he's not in Gryffindor. Maybe he and Albus – dumb name, by the way – will be mates. And even your little Rose. They could be a new Trio full of mischief and terror."

"First, Albus is a fine name. Don't forget he has _your godfather's_ name as his second name. Second, I don't doubt that Al and Rose will be troublemakers. But do you think your little Scorpius will be willing to join in on the fun?" she asked primly.

"I've no doubt that my son and your family members will be able to put aside the sins of their fathers and be a formidable trio. They're better than us, Granger. I can already see it. They'll not make the same mistakes we did." He paused a moment. "And your husband will come around. Like I said … he's just in shock."

"You're a good man, Draco Malfoy," she told him softly and his heart swelled a little.

--

"I just feel like I'm going to lose either my husband or my daughter over this and neither is acceptable," she told him seriously. "I don't want this to be the straw that breaks the camel's back." She ignored his confused look. "I just don't know what to say to either of them. Anything I tell Rose will be empty promises – and you know how I hate those – and anything I tell Ron will make him think even less of me. I'm stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place."

"I'm going to ignore the muggle references you've just made – as no one but a muggle or Potter would be able to figure them out – and tell you this: your daughter has done nothing wrong and your husband will have to face that fact sooner or later. I'm not betting on sooner, but I hope for your sake and for Rose's that your idiot husband pulls his head from his arse and wakes up." He paused and then sighed. "Your daughter, incidentally, is my main reason for asking to meet with you today."

"Aww, so you didn't miss me?" she asked playfully in an attempt to _not_ hear what he had to say about Rose.

"I always miss you, Granger. That's besides the point – oh, don't blush. Anyway," he continued on, "she's avoiding everyone. She goes to class and quidditch but is spending all of her time holed up in her former dormitory. She hasn't spoken to Scorpius all week and he asked me to talk with her. She's quite slippery, you know. I haven't been able to corner her at all. It's like she knows I'm going to try to talk to her and she …"

"She's not done being mad at Ron and she knows that you and your son can calm her down. Al wrote a similar letter to Harry stating she won't talk to him either. He said she hasn't been at meals most of the week."

Draco nodded in agreement. "She's eating though. She doesn't look sick or anything. I know Scor's had the house elves taking her meals in her room."

"You've raised a good son, Draco. He would be proud of you …" she trailed off.

"I know," Draco sighed. "I just … I wish he could have been here to see the man my son is becoming. I wish he could have known Tor and-and Lyra … she's getting so big," he added with a far-away smile on his face. "She's going to look just like her mother."

"With the Malfoy hair and eyes?"

Draco shook his head. "I think she's going to be the first dark-haired Malfoy ever. She's just so beautiful, Hermione," he whispered. "I don't know what I did to get so lucky … but I did. I have the most amazing wife … a son that I couldn't be prouder of … and the most beautiful little girl in the world. I mean, where did I go right?"

Hermione stood and walked around her desk. She pulled him from his seat and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "You didn't kill and old man on a warm night in 1997," she responded. "You lived when you could have given up. You let Harry save you in the Room of Requirement. You tried not to give Ron and Harry away when we were in the Manor …"

"I didn't save you that night …"

"I wasn't expecting to be saved, Draco," she said with a sad smile. "I expected her to kill me because I didn't give her any information. And if you _had_ tried to save me she probably would have killed _you_. You saved lives during the Battle of Hogwarts by keeping the kids out of the mess. I … you've redeemed yourself in the eyes of the community, Draco. You changed for the better. Do you think Astoria would have settled for anything less?"

She was breathing heavily at the end of her impromptu speech and Draco couldn't help but once again think that Weasley was a fool for not treasuring her. "No," he responded softly. "But I just figured I got really lucky …"

"It helped that a friend of yours couldn't help but sing your praises when they met for tea and scones," Hermione said impishly.

--

"So, you and Draco Malfoy, huh?" Hermione asked teasingly as she applied some strawberry jam to her scone. "Interesting. I thought you said he was a pretentious prat predisposed to prolonged periods of petulant pestering."

"I did not!" Astoria responded as she sipped her tea.

"Yes, you did," Hermione insisted. "Because I laughed and then applauded your alliteration. So, what changed?"

"Nothing."

"I think something did …"

"No. We're … friends. That's all."

"Oh," Hermione said slowly. "So then you wouldn't mind if he and I got together for something _more_ than our chats?" she asked.

"You're with Ron Weasley," Astoria said immediately.

"Not this week," the brunette snorted.

"But … you … you can't want to be with Dra- uhm, Malfoy. It's …"

"Why not?" Hermione asked nonchalantly. "I mean, he's a good man – a _very_ good man. He's clever and nice. Some could say he's actually _sweet_. He's also become quite dedicated and loyal. I heard he turned down his old girlfriend – Pansy Parkinson – because she wanted a no strings attached relationship and he's more interested in settling down. He told me last week that he likes the feeling of knowing one day someone will love him for who he is and not what he was."

Astoria sat quietly for a moment before looking up earnestly into Hermione's eyes. "Please don't date him," she said quickly. "I mean, I know he might not say yes, no offense, but please don't offer him the chance."

"Why not?" Hermione asked even though she already knew the answer.

"Because I _am_ dating him," Astoria responded softly. Her eyes were looking to her half-eaten scone. "We've been dating for a while. I … we just … he kissed me the night Daphne was taken. We had been, erm, _not-dating_, as he called it, for a while and it's … we were really dating though. And we still are. I just … do you _really_ think he's changed for the better? And for good?"

"I do," Hermione responded honestly. "And I think you'll help that along even more."

Astoria simply smiled before sipping at her tea again.

--

"You never told me that!" Draco cried out with a grin. "You threatened her that _you_ would ask me out?"

"Knowing full well that you would _never_ say yes," Hermione responded with a firm nod and a smile of her own.

That gave Draco pause. "You don't think I would have said yes?"

"Of course not," she waved him off, the smile still on her face. "You were with her."

"If I wasn't?"

"Draco …" she sighed, her smile slipping. "We're not talking about what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. I won't go through this with you. We're _friends_ and this conversation could ruin that completely. And, to be honest, I'm not willing to risk it."

"Please, Hermione … I know you were in love with Weasley but, please, just humor me. If things were different …"

"No," she responded. "We're not talking about this because things aren't different. And I wouldn't have asked," she told him. "We're good friends and since your change, I haven't thought of you as anything but."

The lie burned in her throat and she wished, not for the first time, that things _had_ been different.

--

Scorpius was, once again, sitting alone in the Heads common room. He was _hoping_ that she would come back. It was Saturday and he knew she hadn't taken many of her muggle clothes with her when she moved back into Slytherin. He had a book open in his lap, abandoned, and had let the fire die so it was 

slightly chilly. He assumed his mate would be coming in soon to discuss Rose, as had become the habit since she had walked out of their lives.

He heard the portrait swing open and, without looking, called out, "Have you seen her?"

There was a long pause before a quiet, "Have I seen who?" was asked from just inside.

"Rose," Scorpius cried out as he bolted from his seat and moved towards her quickly. He watched the portrait swing closed and then wrapped her in his arms. "Thank Merlin," he whispered into her hair. "You're okay. You're back. Thank Merlin."

It was all nonsensical and erratic but she knew what he meant. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and pressed her tear-streaked face into his chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I've been such a fool …"

"No. It was me. I shouldn't have said what I said …"

"I shouldn't have reacted the way I did …"

"I missed you so much …"

"I missed you too …"

"It was like being right next to you with a glass wall between us. Please don't ever leave me again, Rose. Please. I love you so much …"

"Oh, Scor, I love you too," she whispered before pulling his head to meet her lips in a kiss that they had both been desperate for since earlier in the week.

"Wow. I didn't know that this reunion would cause you both to turn into crying Hufflepuffs," Albus said from the portrait.

"Shut it, mate," Scorpius said, arms still wrapped around Rose and quite unwilling to let her go.

Albus smirked before walking over to the couch – not really caring that his cousin and mate wanted time to get _reacquainted_- and flopped down. "What made you want to be social again, Rosebud?"

"I got a letter from Uncle Harry," she said slowly. "And it really helped. I mean, Mum's moved out of the house because of what Dad's doing and he said that they were acting like children. Then he went on to talk about how he pushed everyone away during the War and it wasn't good for anyone. He just … he wrote a lot of things that made me stop and think … and I knew that I couldn't push everyone away." She paused for a moment before continuing on, "I know I'm not okay – not yet. But I also know I can't do it alone. I mean, Dad's really hurt me. He's hurt me more than I can put into words," she added with a sniffle as Scorpius led her to the couch and sat beside Al with her on his other side, her head still resting against his chest. "And I'm going to be in a nasty mood but I'd like very much if you two didn't give up on me. I don't think I can do this alone," she finished in a whimper before the tears started falling again.

"You won't have to do it alone, baby. I promise. We'll get through this together. Right, Al?"

Albus nodded distractedly. "Right." He was too busy to pay attention to anything but the broken look on his cousin's face. His uncle had put that there and it was high time the redheaded git was put in his place. True that they weren't going home for the holiday – there was going to be a Yule Ball or some rubbish like that – but there were plenty of quidditch matches. And he knew Uncle Ron wouldn't miss his perfect little Hugo for anything. So, yes, he would get his uncle back during the weekend of the Slytherin-Gryffindor match. He would do this without the other two as to keep Rose and Scor far from the trouble. But he couldn't let his uncle keep hurting his cousin like he was. Rose was too strong to be acting this way and he knew, without a doubt, that Ronald Weasley had to pay for breaking one of the strongest women he knew. There was no other alternative. He would have to enlist a little help from some of his other acquaintances, however, and possibly a family member or two.

But, one way or another, Ron Weasley would come to terms with what he's done. Albus would personally see to it.


	9. Chapter Nine

Scorpius, Rose and Albus all made their way down to the quidditch pitch for the Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw game. While still in quite low spirits, Rose knew that getting out of the old castle would do her some good.

She was holding Scorpius' hand and a faint smile was on her face. It was the first time they were out in public without having the "Friends Only" sign hovering above their heads. She wondered, briefly, if this was the best time for their relationship to be made known (as _everyone_ knew about the incident with that Ravenclaw git Humphrey) but she couldn't bring herself to really care. Scorpius was her boyfriend and the hell with anyone who wanted to speak out against them.

The whispers and pointing started just outside the entrance to the pitch.

"Are they holding hands?"

"Is that _Malfoy_ and _Weasley_?"

"Oh! It's like Romeo and Juliet!"

"Shut up, mate. It's just a ruse …"

"I heard she's marrying Paddington Humphrey …"

"_I_ heard she was up the duff with Greg Wilcox's sprog …"

"_I_ heard she was dating _Wendy_ Wilcox …"

"_That's_ a new one," whispered Al as they climbed into the Slytherin stands. "Though you _are_ pretty tough. I bet some people could think you liked girls …"

"Shut it, prat," Rose said with a scowl as she thumped her cousin on the arm. "You're just jealous because I could get Harmony Jackson to shag me before you could," she added with a chuckle.

"Harmony isn't that kind of girl," he spat back quickly. "She's not into parties and random hook ups."

"I thought you were after Columba Harrod. Who the hell is Harmony Jackson?" Scorpius asked with a furrowed brow. "I have _never_ heard of her before and you know I know all of the Slytherins and most of the Ravenclaws …"

"Yes you do," Rose said with a smirk, her thoughts thankfully far away from her problems at the moment, "so it only leads to thinking that Miss Jackson is not in one of those two houses."

"Rose …"

"Will you tell him what house the lovely Harmony is in or shall I, dear cousin?" she asked again.

"I think you should keep your mouth shut," Albus replied.

Before Rose could respond the voice of Lorcan Scamander interrupted, "**Good afternoon, Hogwarts! Today's match is between Ravenclaw**" he paused for a loud cheer "**and Hufflepuff.**" another loud cheer. **" Let's meet the teams! For Ravenclaw –**" another cheer "**William Bucksley, Cara Hornabret and Marshall Pointer as Chasers**" more cheers "**Hestia Yancy and George Testerman as Beaters**" another loud cheer "**Gregory Hines as Keeper**" a few wolf-whistles thrown in _with_ the cheers "**and Summer Winters as Seeker!**"

"I don't see what's so bloody great about Hines. He's not the best Keeper in school …"

"Oh, Scor," Rose said with a giggle, "it's really only me who can score on him with any consistency …"

"You had better be talking about quidditch," he growled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"**And for Hufflepuff**" a loud cheer came from the Badgers' stands "**Your 2022-2023 MVP Seeker Braxton Klover as Seeker**" a huge cheer ripped through the entire stadium (and Albus muttered that the "poncy prat" was "such a nancy git") "**with Beamer Bartsch as Keeper, Jack Vance and Hermes Willowood as Beaters**" another cheer (mainly from the Hufflepuffs) "**and your Chasers: Henry Jacobs, Roland Filmore and Harmony Jackson!**"

"No fucking way!" Scorpius shouted with delight. He completely ignored the stares directed at him from his housemates. "You're kidding me."

"Shut. Up," Albus said from the corner of his mouth.

"You're sniffing after a Hufflepuff?" Scorpius continued with a chuckle.

"He doesn't need to _sniff_ anymore, Scor," Rose butted in. "They're _together_."

"I swear, Potter, you just made my day," Scorpius said with a smirk. "You're the best mate a guy could ask for." His arm settled around Rose's shoulder and the match began.

--

"You wrote her a bloody _letter_?!" Ron shouted at his best friend of over thirty years. "What gave you the right to do that?"

"First," Harry responded in a dark tone, "she is my goddaughter and, as such, I write to her often. Second," he added louder, as Ron had tried to speak over him, "she's in a bad spot right now because a certain git is treating her like rubbish."

"This isn't your fight, Harry," Ron said strongly. "This is between me, Rose and Hermione."

"Yeah? Well there seems to be a lot more than tension between the three of you right now."

"What the hell are you talking about, Harry?" Ron asked as he moved around the store room at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes.

"When was the last time you saw your wife, Ron?" Harry asked angrily.

"When we went to Hogwarts on Tuesday," the redhead responded.

"No, Ron. I think that was the last time you were in the same _room_ as your wife. But, tell me, when was the last time you really _saw_ her?"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Potter. If you have something to say then just bloody _say_ it!"

"She's been _miserable_, Ron. She's been absolutely _miserable_ and you're not doing anything to try and make her feel better. I don't know how you can live with yourself after what you've done to Hermione and Rose. So what if she's a Slytherin, Ron?"

Ron cut him off before he could get any further into his rant. "Is _that_ what this is about? Are you _kidding_ me? You're hacked off that I don't like the fact that my angel is in Slytherin and she's doing Merlin knows what with _Draco Malfoy's_ son? Well, Harry, I think it's time you came to grips with the idea that I will _never_ be happy about either of those things."

"And I think you need to face a bit of reality, Weasley. Hermione's not as strong as she used to be. Years with you have made her feel safe and she's let down her defenses. Then you lost your bloody mind when Rose was Sorted and she's started building those walls again. And it seems to me that you didn't even notice. She doesn't talk to many people, Ron. She works and she either goes out with Ginny, Luna, me or Draco …"

"She's still seeing the Ferret?" Ron screamed loudly.

"Ron …" Harry sighed.

"She shagging him too?" the irate redhead asked. "She never told me they got up to anything like that before we were married but, hey, she could be doing it now, couldn't she?"

Harry had to literally tell himself not to beat the shite out of his best mate. He knew this wouldn't be an easy conversation but, Merlin, Ron was as stubborn as a hippogriff sometimes. "They're just friends."

"Just like they were _just friends_ before Hermione and I got engaged?"

--

"Ron? I'm going to the cinema with Draco. And then we're going for coffee. Would you care to join us?"

"No, I'd not care to join you," the redhead said with a pout. "This is your time to catch up with him and find out how his _life_ has been since you met him _last week_."

"I'm not fighting with you tonight, Ronald," she said with a sigh before pressing a kiss on the top of his head (as he was sitting on the couch) and walking out the front door.

He waited about twenty minutes before apparating to the cinema he knew the two of them would be at. He knew he shouldn't be jealous – well, no, he didn't exactly know that – but he wanted to see for himself what kinds of things they got up to when they met.

He sat in the back of the cinema through the entire (ghastly, foreign) film and then slowly followed them out. His eyes stayed glue to them as they walked to Hermione's favorite café. He spent the entire time in the shadows watching as they talked. They didn't act as if they were meeting for some sort of affair but he could tell by the looks in both of their eyes that it would take very little to spark the flame and send them both to a place where neither should be.

He decided, as he watched them smiling and talking, that he would ask her to marry him that night. He loved her for Merlin's sake and he knew she was waiting for the ring he'd had hidden for nearly six months. _Well_, he thought to himself with a smile, _no time like the present_.

He was comfortable with the knowledge that she loved him and she was _not_ cheating on him with Malfoy. He just knew he would feel better if she had his ring on her finger. He wanted to marry her anyway (and his mum brought up the lack of a ring at almost every brunch seeing as how Harry had asked Ginny three months before) and he was happy with her. He'd loved her since before he knew what love was.

So when Hermione got home that night (looking as composed as she had when she left), he apologized profusely to her.

"I'm so sorry, love. I shouldn't have acted out. It's just … I was jealous. You know how I can be," he whispered as they sat together on the couch.

"It's okay," she said with a smile. "You don't have to be jealous. Especially not of Draco," she said with a slight giggle. "He's so in love with Astoria that I could parade around in front of him in my birthday suit and he would ask me if I was feeling a bit warm. And," she added in a lower, huskier voice, "there's only one man I love and he's got fantastic red hair, a goofy grin and a jealous streak longer than the Great Wall of China."

"I'm going to ignore that last muggle reference because Harry's probably the only one who would understand it and simply say I love you too."

He pressed his lips to hers and was quite satisfied when she responded enthusiastically and climbed onto his lap. He debated inside his mind whether he should propose now and shag later or the other way around. He decided the sex would probably be much more passionate if she had the ring on her finger first.

He didn't even think about how git-ish it was to think about his engagement in terms of his sex life.

"Hermione," he whispered as he pushed her away slightly. He smiled as she pouted and tried to move back in for another kiss. "Hermione, love, slow down a minute …"

"What's wrong?" she asked as her bottom lip jutted out petulantly.

"I want to talk to you for a minute …"

"We can talk later," she said with a smile as she leaned back in.

Ron was amazed at his willpower as he slowly slid out from under her to the floor. "Please, love, let me talk first."

Hermione sighed cutely and nodded for him to continue. He couldn't believe that she didn't spot the fact that he was down on one knee in front of her.

"I love you so much," he whispered. "I loved you before I knew what love meant and I wanted to be with you the moment I understood what boys actually see in girls." He smiled briefly before taking her hands in his. "You mean more to me than anything in the world. You're my reason for living, Hermione. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you in my life …"

"You'll never have to find out," she promised with a smile as she swept his fringe from his forehead.

"D'you really mean that, Hermione?"

"Of course," she whispered.

He cleared his throat and shifted a bit before pulling a box from his trouser pants. "Hermione …"

"Oh, Ron …" she whispered as tears sprung to her eyes.

"Hermione," he said again, "I don't know the romantic way of asking this but you always said that being straightforward was the best way to go. I love you. I never want to be without you. Will you marry me?"

As Hermione looked down into his innocent, smiling, nervous face, she knew that she never wanted to be without him either. So, with an enthusiastic nod, a few falling tears, a sniffle and an exclamation of "Yes!" she hurled herself at him and they made love on the floor between the couch and the coffee table.

--

"Yes, Ron," Harry said as he interrupted Ron's musings. "Just like they were before you got engaged. She never cheated on you, Ron. You know she wouldn't."

"I know," the redhead reluctantly agreed.

"And you promised her on your wedding day that you would love her forever and always try to see her side of every argument. I don't like to think you lied to her, Ron."

Ron sighed again. His remembrance of his proposal to Hermione had brought back all of the feelings of love he'd had for her. He knew they were still as strong as they were before and he couldn't figure out what was making him so bloody angry all the time. And then, suddenly, his mind flashed to Rose.

She wasn't exactly like her mother – she wasn't quite like anyone, really – but he had always compared the two. He would always think of Rose as a mini-Hermione, as she had acted quite like her mother used before his little Rosie left for Hogwarts. And when she got to Hogwarts and was put in Slytherin, his perfect Hermione-clone image was shattered. He hadn't liked the revelation that she wasn't really like her mother at all. And that's when he had started treating her as less than she was. He didn't like being proven wrong.

"Harry …" Ron whispered. "I've been a shit, haven't I?"

"Yes," the raven-haired man responded unrepentantly.

"To both of them."

"More than just them."

"Where is she staying, Harry?" Ron asked desperately. "You've got to tell me."

Harry stared at his friend for a long moment before sighing. "No, Ron. I don't have to tell you. And I won't. Not now. You think you've worked through everything in your head but you haven't. If you go to her before you've really reconciled your behavior things will get much worse. You broke her heart, Ron, and you've broken Rose's as well. I won't let you see Hermione until I'm certain you won't do something that will ruin your marriage for good. And I don't want you to try to talk to Rose until the Gryffindor-Slytherin match in two weeks. She needs time, Ron. Just like you do."

Ron narrowed his eyes at his best mate before reluctantly nodding. "Fine. But just know that I'm not doing this because you told me to."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry said sarcastically. "Now, I'm going back to work. When George comes in tell him I said to stop selling those rubbishy glasses to my aurors."

Ron smirked at him. "Everyone wants to be like Head Auror Potter."

"Yes, well Head Auror Potter and Hermione Weasley, Esquire, are trying o figure a way to keep Lucius Malfoy in prison, so we don't need all those gits walking in and distracting us thinking they're funny."

"Right," Ron said. "No more glasses to aurors."

"Just until we finish the Malfoy case. Then you can sell those stupid things until your heart's content."

"Thanks, mate," Ron said as Harry was half out the door.

They both knew he wasn't talking about the glasses.

--

Albus quietly excused himself from his friends as he made his way towards the Hufflepuff changing room. He had promised Harmony that he would meet her there after the game, win or lose.

And Hufflepuff had won hugely. She alone had more than seventy points. _Looks like Rose isn't the only one scoring on Hines._ And then he screamed at himself for thinking about _scoring_ at all.

There were rumors around the school that Albus was a bit of a player. He and Scorpius were known as Slytherin's bad boys. He'd been linked romantically to almost every Slytherin and Gryffindor above third year.

Truth was, Al had only had one girlfriend. And she didn't really work out.

Earlier that same morning he had asked Harmony – who was his partner in Herbology and Care for Magical Creatures – if she would consider being his girlfriend. The usually calm, cool, collected Albus Potter had been a stuttering idiot. He was certain she would laugh in his face.

But she hadn't, to his surprise. She had smiled and said yes. And then asked him to meet her after the game.

So there he was, the "Slytherin Playwizard", standing outside the Hufflepuff changing rooms like a nervous first year before his first class.

"You came," a soft voice said from his left.

"'Course I did," he responded with a smile as he turned to look at Harmony. "Said I would."

"Yeah, I know … I was just …"

"I know," Al said softly. "But you have to believe me, Harmony, and not what you hear. Okay? Promise me that if you ever hear something like … well, I know what the rumors say … just promise you'll come to me or Scorpius or Rose first."

She smiled shyly and whispered, "I promise."

He nodded with a smile of his own before shyly taking her hand in his. "So, would you like to have a picnic by the lake to celebrate your victory? Or were you planning to go on with your team?"

She watched him for a moment, still not entirely sure this was the _real_ Albus Potter, and then slowly said, "A picnic would be nice."

"Good," Al replied with a small smile still on his face. "Why don't you go get changed and meet me out by the gate in twenty minutes? I'll go get the picnic."

She was going to ask him how he was planning on doing that when he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle, lingering kiss there before heading back into the castle.

She simply stood there, quite in shock of his gentleness and his gentlemanliness, before rushing off to change for her first date with Albus.

--

"You called a good game, Lor," Lily said with a smile as she returned to the castle with the Scamander brothers, Hugo and June Longbottom.

"Nothing special," his little brother grumbled under his breath. "_I_ could do that …"

June quietly giggled behind her hand.

"Thanks," Lorcan responded with a smile. "There was a lot of movement with the chasers. And I was shocked Hines let up so many goals …"

"Yeah, Jackson really took him to town today," Hugo responded with a whimsical grin. "It's so nice to see that stupid git knocked off his high horse."

"Didn't Harmony Jackson score on you about five times last Gryffindor-Hufflepuff match?" June asked with a smile.

"Two. And I was distracted," Hugo replied petulantly.

"By Harmony Jackson …" Lorcan mumbled to Lily (to which she giggled).

"I don't fancy Harmony Jackson!" Hugo cried loudly.

"Good," Lily responded. "Because she's too old for you."

Hugo and Lysander both snorted. "Age is but a number, Lily," the latter said.

If June noticed Lorcan take a step closer to the youngest Potter she kept it to herself.

--

"Can I read the letter, love?" Scorpius asked softly as he and Rose settled down on the coach in their common room.

She smiled slowly as she reached into her pocket and pulled it out. "How did you know I had it with me?"

"Because it came from your uncle and you're still his little princess at heart," he smirked. He opened it as soon as she handed it to him, pulling her down to she could rest her head on his shoulder.

_Dear Bug –_

_Hey. I got a rather disturbing letter from my youngest son this morning. Now, don't get hacked off with him; he's only concerned for you. _

_I don't know the whole story, Bug, and I'm not going to ask. I'm simply going to impart some wisdom on you. The advice is simple: don't push everyone away. You have to let them in and help you. I know this from experience, Bug. It was your mum who helped me get this attitude into my head and now I guess __it's my turn to get it into yours. Instead of just repeating it outright (don't shut yourself in!), I will tell you a little bit about what happened when I did that._

_My fifth year was not going as I had planned .I was brooding and unhappy – not to mention angry – all the time. There was a time, after your granddad was attached by Voldemort's snake, when I wanted to __**bite**__ the headmaster._

_I closed myself off to my friends and tried to do everything alone. And it only hurt me (and your mum) in the end. I was so wrapped up in myself, Bug, that I didn't listen to a thing she said. That's what got my godfather killed._

_Your mum brought me back out of that and made sure I knew that she was there for me – and so was your dad. And Gin and Neville and Luna as well. They all helped me when I didn't think I could be helped. They made me see that it was better to let the people around me show support and let me lean on them when I needed it. So now I'm telling you that._

_Don't shut people out, Bug. Please. Talk to anyone you want – me, Scorpius, Al, your mum, Mr. Malfoy … just __**talk**__. Don't let this ruin you, Rose. I know everything will work out in the end. It did for me and it will for you._

_Remember that I love you, Bug, and so do Al, Scorpius, and your mum (and dad, even though he's acting like a giant git) and Aunt Gin._

_Please talk to someone – __**anyone**__!_

_Love,_

_Uncle Harry_

"Do I even want to know why he calls you _Bug_?" Scorpius asked with a smirk.

"No," Rose said decisively with a blush.

"Okay," he laughed before leaning in and pressing his lips to hers.


	10. Chapter Ten

"Al? Al … Al? Al!" Scorpius called loudly to his mate as they sat inside the Slytherin changing rooms the next day.

Hogwarts had (finally) realized the need for separate male and female changing rooms (though all of the females used the same one and the males on each team got their own) and Rose had separated from the rest of the team to get herself ready for the practice. Scorpius was going to take this chance to find out why Harry called Rose _Bug_ in his letter.

"Hmm? Huh? Wha?" Albus asked in a daze as he stared at absolutely nothing.

"What's wrong with you, mate?" the blonde asked. "You're acting all … wonky."

Albus blinked a few times as he stared at Scorpius. His head was fuzzy and his brain shaken up. It had never been like this before. He didn't even _kiss_ her and he couldn't think of any better date he'd been on.

True, he wasn't as much of a ladies' man, but people thought he was. There were always _rumors_. He _hated_ rumors. There was never any reason for people to think he was philandering and acting like a general letch. He was reserved and quiet, more of an observer – he assumed that was what the accusations stemmed from. He used to hate it when other students would point and stare and whisper "It's always the quite ones …"

"I'm fine," he responded. "Was there something you needed?"

"Erm, I just had kind of a strange question for you …"

"Well, when a man and a woman love each other …" Al said with a smirk, his head clearing at the opportunity to mock his mate. Really, since he rarely interacted with Lily (though they were better than Rose and Hugo), he _loved_ having a go at Scorpius' love life. Especially since his love life was the same as Rose's.

"Shut it, Potter," Scorpius growled. "I have been racking my brain over this question – don't even _think_ about making a dumb joke – and I can't seem to figure it out. Rose won't tell me so I am being forced to ask you. Please."

Albus smirked again. "Sure, Scorpius. I can answer _any_ question you have about Rose. I know her better than she knows herself."

"Sarcasm is the dumb person's default response, Albus," the blonde said. "Now, please, for the love or Morgana's knickers, tell me why your dad calls Rose _Bug_."

Al stared at his best friend for a good thirty seconds before bursting out laughing. And it wasn't a controlled, pleasant snicker. Albus Potter was snorting and clutching his stomach, his lungs aching for air, as he absolutely lost his mind over the innocent question Scorpius had asked.

"It's not that funny," Scorpius interjected. "And if you don't _know_ …"

"Oh, I _know_," Al said. "It's partially my fault – if you can call it a fault."

"Well?"

"Apparently, as I have no memory of this and our family couldn't be bothered with putting it in a pensieve, Uncle George had made a new joke that looked like a bug. Dad told me to go get the bug – I was about two – and I went and grabbed Rosie and brought her to him. I said _Here's Bug_ and that was that."

"Why would you go get her when he asked you for the bug?"

"Well, I had some trouble with my d's when I was little – I used to call Dumbledore _Gumblegore_ when I asked for stories about how I got my name. Anyway, Dad used to call Rosie Rosebud … so I took the Bu_d_ and turned it into Bu_g_. And that's that."

Scorpius stared at him for a few seconds before sighing. "And I thought it would be a good story …"

"It could also come from the time that there was a bug on Dad's shirt when he was holding Rose and she picked it up and ate it," Al responded with a shrug. "Whichever it comes from, both are pretty good if you think about it."

"I kissed a girl who ate a bug?" Scorpius asked with a wrinkled nose.

"Did a whole lot more than kiss her, mate!" Al laughed before calling the rest of the team and heading out to the pitch.

"Was it a fly or what?"

"Albus!" Rose screeched as she heard the question from her boyfriend. "I can't believe you told him!"

"You don't even know that I did. You're just assuming by the disgusted look on his face …"

"And the elated look on _yours_ …" she cut in.

"That I told him how you ate that bug off of Dad's shirt and that's how you got your nickname," he finished.

"I hate you."

"Oh, good. Something new and unusual for you. Get in the air."

Rose huffed at him once more before climbing onto her broom and kicking off. Al and Scorpius followed soon after, as did the rest of the Slytherin quidditch team.

"Looks like we have some company today," Warren Holmes said as he flew up beside Al and Scorpius.

The other two looked to the stands and saw Professor Malfoy with a lovely dark haired woman and a small baby.

"Wonder what Mum's doing here …" the blonde muttered. He noticed Draco give a wave and nod, which he took to mean that they would talk after. "Let's make it a good practice, yeah? I want to impress those two beautiful women over there."

"You're lucky I know that's your family, prat, or you would have been in _so much _trouble for that last statement," Rose said as she flew up beside him. When he reached for her she smiled and pulled away, flying over to the other chasers with Scorpius following.

Draco slowly wrapped his arm around his wife and smiled down at his daughter. "I don't think he expected the two prettiest women in the world to be here to watch him today, do you, little girl?" His baby smiled up at him, her tiny arms flailing about in an attempt to get him to take her from her mother. When he did, she shrieked with happiness and he thought his smile would make his face stick that way permanently.

Astoria leaned over and pressed a kiss against his cheek. "She misses her Daddy when he's gone."

"Her Daddy misses her too," Draco responded in a soft voice.

They then settled in to watch Albus Potter run arguably the best quidditch practice he had ever run. Who the hell needed the Gwenog Jones bint? They were an excellent team and would probably have the Cup in the bag again this year.

After about an hour of practice Al called it a day. It _was_ Sunday after all. And Mrs. Malfoy had brought the baby and he wanted to hold her. _Or at least try to. If Scor doesn't try to bite my head off again_.

When the team landed, the Malfoy family came down to meet them. It was the first time Draco had really been able to speak with Rose in any kind of private setting. "Miss Weasley?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"How would you like to accompany me to the village this evening and help me collect some new potions supplies? I have already cleared it with the Headmaster."

Rose looked up to Scorpius, who gave her an encouraging smile, before turning back to her boyfriend's father. "I have a condition, sir."

Draco flashed to a conversation he had with Hermione – those bloody Grangers and their stupid _conditions_ – before sighing and giving her a nod as if to tell her to get on with it.

"I'd like to talk about your past," she told him, "in relation to the situation I'm going through now. For every question _you_ refuse to answer, I have the right to refuse the same. Deal?"

"You really _are_ a Slytherin, aren't you?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Yes, Professor, I am," she said proudly. He took that to mean that she was moving into the _anger_ stage of her acceptance of recent events.

Draco smiled and turned around to see his son holding his daughter and his wife smiling at them both. He was an amazing older brother, always watching out for his baby sister. Lyra was only about six months old so she couldn't understand what it meant to have Scorpius there for her. But one day she would realize how lucky she was. Draco just knew it.

"He looks good holding a baby," Astoria said softly as Draco joined her.

"He'd better not have to hold any baby but his little sister for quite a long time," Draco said strongly.

"As I recall, you looked good holding a baby before we had little Scorpius," she reminded him.

"Yes, and if you recall, it was a direct effect of me holding your nephew which resulted in our son. I don't want him getting ideas into his head that it'll be okay to have a kid right now, Tor. I mean, her parents _already_ hate me – well, okay, Weasel hates me, Granger doesn't – but this would … I can't … there's no way …"

He ceased his spluttering when he heard his wife laughing at him. He scowled darkly and turned away to chat with Potter for a moment about something he'd noticed the beaters doing during their practice. Just as Draco was about to give Al a little advice on directing the bludgers they both whipped around at Astoria's gasp.

"What?" he asked nervously. His eyes followed her pointed finger and his jaw dropped. "Sweet Merlin …" he whispered.

The three of them were watching one of the tenderest scenes any had ever seen. Rose was now holding Lyra in the cradle of her arms, a soft smile on her face, eyes meeting those of the baby. Scorpius was standing behind her, arms wrapped around her waist and chin resting on her shoulder, his eyes directed to the baby as well, and a contented smile on his lips.

--

"How is he?" a younger Draco Malfoy asked at about three o'clock in the morning.

"Cranky," his wife responded with a yawn as she tried to rock a baby Scorpius to sleep. Apparently, their son wasn't quite interested in sleeping right now. "He's still not staying down all night. I'm thinking I should take him to his healer."

"Blaise'll just say the same thing he always does – _He's a baby, Malfoy. They sleep when they want, eat when they want, and shit all the time._ How he got to be a healer is beyond me. And he's only a few months old, love," he said as he wrapped his arms around his wife from behind. "It'll get better as he gets older."

"I know," she sighed. "I'm just so scared of messing up … I mean, we're so young …"

Draco exhaled and let his chin rest on her shoulder, his eyes wandering down to the little boy wrapped in a blue blanket and fussing softly in his mother's arms. "We're no younger than the rest of my classmates, most of whom already have kids."

Astoria nodded with a smile, her eyes trained on the baby. When he stopped fussing, she and Draco smiled silently. "Finally," she whispered.

They stood there for a few moments, silently rocking the baby back and forth before Astoria put him in his crib and they headed back to their bedroom. "Not all of your classmates have children yet, Draco."

"Astoria, don't. Not tonight."

"I'm just saying …"

"Don't. I don't want to talk about her. She's been ignoring me since she married that idiot."

--

Draco shook himself out of the memory, trying to forget the awful row that followed. Hermione, while she was good friends with Astoria and him, was still something of a hot topic. They didn't discuss the fact that Draco seemed more open to his former enemy than his wife and Astoria never told him that Hermione had taken an oath and truthfully explained how there was never any requited romance between them.

Astoria also never told that Hermione had "failed" the part where she said she'd never felt anything but friendship for Draco.

But that was another story all together. They were in love (as were Hermione and Ron) and nothing was going to change that.

--

"Hermione, can you … will you …" Astoria sighed in frustration.

"What is it, Tor?" Hermione asked as she lounged on one of the chaises in Malfoy Manor. Her eyes strayed to Scorpius and Rose for a moment (Ron had no idea that Hermione had brought their daughter to play with the youngest Malfoy) before looking back up to the dark haired woman relaxing on the couch.

"I know this is one of the most inappropriate questions I've ever asked you, but would you be willing to take an oath to declare you and Draco aren't …?"

Hermione couldn't believe, after everything, that Astoria was still wondering. Her eyes wandered to their children once more before she shut her eyes and nodded. "Sure. We can do that."

"You can ask me questions too …" Astoria hurriedly told her.

"No need, Tor. I don't have any questions for you. I have to be honest," she said as she sat up. "I thought you would have asked long before now."

The women both took a few steadying breaths before taking their wands and reciting the spell.

"Did it work?" Astoria asked, her wand lying horizontal in her lap, hands wrapped around both ends. The way the charm worked was that the wand would warm up if the person lied. There would be no reaction if it was the truth.

"It should have," Hermione responded.

"Okay," Astoria breathed. "First question. Your name?"

"Hermione Weasley." Nothing.

"Your occupation?"

"Director of the Office for Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures." Nothing.

"Are you in love with your husband?"

"Of course." Nothing again.

"How old is your daughter?"

"One year, three months and sixteen days." Another truth.

"Have you been with men other than your husband?"

"No." Wow. She didn't think Hermione had only been with one man. She was somewhat shocked that the woman had been truthful. She knew she should have stopped there. But she had one or two more questions, depending on Hermione's answers.

"Has Draco ever cheated on me?"

"Not to my knowledge."

Astoria took a calming breath. This one would prove if the spell worked or not. "Have you ever cheated on Ron before or after your wedding?"

"No." Nothing.

"Have you ever thought about it?"

Hermione paused, eyes wide. "Yes." Truth.

"With Draco?"

Hermione knew why Astoria had asked the question and she almost couldn't blame her. She stood up and moved to collect Rose (who protested loudly) before responding softly, "Of course not."

Astoria's wand grew so scalding hot that she had to drop it.

--

"What're you thinking about, love?" Draco asked as he watched his wife stare into space.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just flashing back to how those two look just like we did seventeen years ago."

"I was thinking the same thing," Draco whispered before placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Shall we go collect our baby, my love?"

"Yes. And then we can go show her to Neville. I know he's been chomping at the bit to see her."

Draco smiled and collected Lyra and said goodbye to the students so that he and his wife could go visit with the rest of the professors.

--

"Hey, Hermione. How're you feeling?" Ginny asked as she walked into Hermione's office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"Tired," the brunette witch smiled as she held up a slip of parchment. "The Malfoy parole information."

"Ahh," Gin smiled sympathetically. "Not getting much sleep?"

"Not really," Hermione replied. "But, then again, it's not just the hearing thing keeping me up a night."

Ginny really didn't know what to say. She had spoken with Ron, who had begged her to tell him where Hermione was staying (though she wouldn't tell him because Harry had told her not to), and she wanted so badly for her brother and sister-in-law to be able to work things out, but she knew that her brother wasn't ready yet. She just didn't know if she should tell Hermione that Ron was asking for her.

"Gin, I know you have something on your mind and I know it's about Ron. You don't have to walk on eggshells around me. Has … has he told you he wants to … wants us to …"

"No!" Ginny cried out. "Of course not. He _loves_ you, Hermione. He's just … Ron. And I know that's not an excuse," she continued before Hermione could respond, "but it'll have to do for now. Just … just know that he's thinking about you. And he's thinking about the whole situation." She paused before releasing a loud breath. "He asked Harry where you were staying."

"And Harry didn't tell him, I gather."

"Refused to," Ginny confirmed as she sat in one of Hermione's guest chairs.

"Good," the older witch responded. "I don't think I'm ready to forgive him yet."

Ginny stared at Hermione for a long minute before nodding and changing the topic to Victoire's latest _get back at Teddy for being a prat_ scheme.

--

"Hey, June. You doing okay?" Hugo asked as he sat beside the first year in the common room.

"Uhm hmm," she responded as she swished her wand around. It looked, if he was reading the text of her open Transfiguration book correctly, like she was trying to conjure a blue bell flame. She wasn't having much luck at all.

"Have you got it right yet? That one took me _ages_ to figure out."

"Really?" she asked. Hugo couldn't help but notice how relieved she looked at that information. "It's just so hard …"

"I know," he said, though he really didn't. His mother had been very adept at conjuring the little flames and he had apparently picked up her charms and transfiguration (as well as every other class) skills and was able to produce them on his very first try. "I think it's your wrist movement that's throwing you off. Here, watch me."

He slowly moved through the movements and incantations before helping her do the same. About twenty minutes later she had gotten it down and could produce multiple flames. "Well done, June!" he cried happily.

"Oh, Hugo, thanks so much," she smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. "You're the best."

_The only bad thing about being a Weasley_, he thought, _was the stupid blush that came with the hair color and the skin tone. _He decided he would have to hold onto her until his face cooled down. Not that he minded in the least. She was a nice girl and was quickly becoming a good friend.

"Oi! If you two want to snog then find somewhere else to do it!" Lily shouted in an angry voice.

"What's up with you?" Hugo asked, blush now gone, as he turned to his older cousin.

"What's up with me? I'll _tell you_ what's up with me. Lorcan Scamander is _what's up with me_. The stupid, gitty, idiotic, revolting, heartless _prat_!"

"What did he do?"

"You know it's Hogsmeade this weekend, right?" she asked.

Hugo, not understanding the change of topics, nodded anyway. "Yeah."

"So Lorcan's said he's going with a friend."

"And?"

"And his _friend_ is Calliope Quintella!"

Hugo, while he may have inherited his mother's book-brains, had certainly inherited his father's relationship-brains. "Okay … so he's going with some bird with a funny name … big deal."

"He's taking her on a date!" Lily cried as she flopped down beside June. "He just won't admit that it _is_ one."

"So what? Good for him, I say. He's in fifth year and he hasn't had a real girlfriend yet. Maybe this cantaloupe girl will help him become a man."

"Her name is Calliope and _you_ are such an asshole!" Lily screamed at him before rushing up the stairs to her dormitory. Both June and Hugo winced when they _felt_ her door slam shut.

"What did I say?" he asked June.

June just shook her head and sighed.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Lily couldn't stand it anymore. She had few female friends, as she was much more of a tomboy than a gossip queen, and none of the guys would understand why she was so upset. And her female cousins were much too into themselves and much too _knowledgeable_ in the area of boys that she was afraid they would laugh her away.

She knew it would be a little awkward when she went to see Rose – they hadn't spoken all term – but she just needed the comfort of a female who would know what she was going through. _Well_, she mused, _maybe she doesn't know __**exactly**__ what it feels like but she'll be able to help me out. She always used to do when we were younger_.

Her decision made, Lily left her dorm room and headed straight out the portrait, not even bothering to acknowledge Hugo as he tried to get her attention. He was a prat and would therefore be ignored until she sorted herself out. Or until Rose _started_ sorting her out, at least.

She slowly made her way to the dungeons and to the tapestry just to the right of the Slytherin common room. She took a deep breath and knocked loudly three times, trying in vain to keep the new tears that were forming in her eyes at bay.

Scorpius was sitting on the couch working on his Ancient Runes homework when he heard her knock. With a furrowed brow, he got up and opened the door. When he saw the look on Lily's face, he quickly ushered her in and sat her down on the couch.

"Rose! Hurry up in there. Lily's here and she needs to talk!" He quickly conjured a cup of hot chocolate and handed it to the younger girl before excusing himself into the Slytherin common room. It looked like a _girl_ problem and he was rubbish at those.

When Rose came down about ten minutes later she was dressed in a pair of shorts and a shirt that _had_ to belong to Malfoy – it was about three sizes too big and not at all something her father would wear. "Lil? Are you okay?"

Lily just stares at her for a moment, completely in awe of the fact that her cousin wasn't asking why she hadn't spoken to her in ages. Rose was typically a heart-on-her-sleeve person in regards to anger and resentment (which she got from Ron, of course) and this was something completely out of the ordinary. She wondered just when Rose had changed and realized that missing her cousin going from girl to woman was just another moment in time she'd wished she hadn't missed. "It's … stupid …"

"Oh, I doubt that, Lily Potter," Rose said as she sat beside her younger cousin. "You don't get upset over stupid things. And by the way Scorpius flew out of here, I would reckon you're pretty upset."

"So you're together now, you and Scorpius?" Lily asked in a desperate attempt to deflect talking about her problem for a moment. True, she was the one who sought out Rose, but now, when she was sitting with the older witch, she felt like her problems were so trivial compared to the ones her older cousin was going through.

"Yes," Rose admitted. "And, if you don't mind me asking, which rumor was it that you heard?"

"I saw you two on the pitch with Professor Malfoy and the rest of their family. I … I saw you holding the baby and the way Scorpius wrapped you up in his arms and … Rose, it was so beautiful. I couldn't … there were no words that came to my mind but _perfect_ and _right_. And I knew, then, that you and he were _together_ and you didn't care if his family knew. And since Al was there, I bet Dad knows too."

Rose smiled slightly and gave a small nod. "Better than the _he got her pregnant and has to pretend to date her until they figure out how to get rid of the baby without Flitwick knowing_ story I heard in dinner last night," Rose laughed. "Now," she continued, sobering, "tell me what happened. It's not like you to get this upset without being angry."

"Oh, I'm angry," Lily acknowledged. "But I'm hurt too. I just never expected it to feel like this …"

"What happened?"

"It's … Lorcan."

"Scamander?" Rose asked.

"D'you know anyone else with that name?" Lily asked with a slight giggle.

"Right," the brunette acknowledged. "Did he try something …?"

"No! Not at all … in fact, he probably never will."

Rose's eyebrows scrunched together as she thought about what Lily was trying to tell her without actually saying it. That in and of itself was quite odd as Lily rarely held back from saying _exactly_ what she meant. "Lily …?"

"He's taking Calliope Quintilla to Hogsmeade this coming Saturday!" Lily finally cried out, unable to contain herself any longer. "He's taking the bloody space cadet on a _date_! Can you believe that? He's taking _her_ instead of me when all the signs were saying that he liked _me_. I don't understand it!"

"Oh, Lil …" Rose said softly.

"It's 'cause I'm not like all the other girls, isn't it? If _she's_ the kind of girl he's looking for … I mean, I'm not like her. I'm the one who started petitioning for the girls to be allowed to wear trousers instead of skirts. I play quidditch and get into tussles … he's not looking for that in a girl, is he? No, of course not," she continued to herself. "Why would he?"

"Lily, listen to me," Rose said strongly. "Just because he asked out Calliope Quintilla doesn't mean he doesn't fancy you. He could just be trying to see if he really does or not. Before Scor and I got together he was dating that Ravenclaw in the year ahead of you – Carla Hensin? – to make sure I wasn't (or was) what he wanted. And I did the same thing with … most of the guys I was with last year. What I felt for Scorpius was so intense that I was afraid of it …"

"I can't imagine that Lorcan is scared of me," Lily said doubtfully.

"Not of _you_, Lil, but of what you could _mean_."

"I don't ever want to grow up if I have to learn to talk in riddles like that," the redhead scowled. "Why can't he just say what he bloody wants to say – either he wants to be with me or he doesn't. Yes or no. They're pretty simple words …"

"Maybe he's going out with her because he knows he _does_ like you and he doesn't know how you feel about him," Rose said with a shrug. "Mum told me that your mum liked your dad before they got together but since Uncle Harry wasn't particularly fascinated with Aunt Gin yet, she dated other guys and waited for your dad to come around. Obviously he did."

"So you want me to act like a tart and date loads of other guys why I wait for Lorcan to decide whether he wants to be with me or not?" Lily asked doubtfully.

"No, you nutter," Rose sighed. "I'm saying that simply because he's taking some other girl to Hogsmeade doesn't mean he doesn't fancy you. I think you should do what you want – if some other bloke asks you to go, say yes – and eventually Lorcan will make his feelings known one way or the other." She paused for a moment. "Wait. You said he's taking the Quintilla girl?"

"Yes," Lily pouted.

Rose gave a short laugh. "They'll _never_ work out."

"Why not?"

"Well, it's always been said that blokes look for their mother in girls. They're attracted to women, for some reason, who remind them of their mother. But I think Calliope is _too much_ like Luna for Lorcan to be happy. Though _you_ have some Luna qualities as well." When Lily tried to protest Rose cut her off. "No. Not the _crazy_ ones. But you're strong. You're independent. You're fierce and you're quite beautiful. He just needs to sort it all out for himself."

Lily was quiet for a few moments before she looked back up to her cousin with a small smile. "Thanks, Rose. I've missed being able to do this."

Rose was ready to respond with the fact that she had been waiting for someone from the family to come around and not act like a stuck up prat anymore but she decided to stay quiet. Lily was here, reaching out to her, and it felt good. It made her think that there was a chance of reconciliation after all. "Me too, Lils."

--

The rest of Sunday passed quickly, as did Monday and Tuesday. Before any of them knew it, NEWT Potions was upon them. And it was time to check out Rose and Professor Malfoy's new seating plan.

There seemed to be a general contentment among almost all of the pairs (except for Darla Mixon, who got stuck with the Humphrey prat) and everyone seemed to settle in nicely.

"I think it's great about you and Scorpius," Vicky Berman said to Rose as they began counting out their lacewing flies.

"Thanks," Rose said as she started cutting the ginger root that would need to be added just as the cauldron started to boil.

"This is one of those things you don't want to talk about, isn't it?" the blonde asked softly.

"It's not that," Rose said seriously. "It's just … and it's not that I don't trust you – you've been one of my best girl friends ever … it's just that I don't want this to be fodder for the rumor mill. I mean, everyone knows about Paddington's deal with my dad – which I have no intention of honoring, mind you – and everyone knows about what I shouted at Dad when he came for my detention … by the way, Professor Malfoy put silencing charms on all of the portraits in his office – except Snape – since he doesn't know which one spread the rumor … and now it's all over school. And I don't think a single one of the rumors is anywhere close to being true."

"I know that, Rose," Vicky replied. "Besides, everyone in Hogwarts could see that you and Scorpius would get together eventually. We didn't know if it would be a serious relationship or just a casual fling – a lot of the girls were betting on a fling, mind you, since those dumb rumors about Scorpius and all those girls …"

"He really _did_ go out with all those girls, Vick … he just never shagged them. Well, not _all_ of them. I think he had two or so," Rose shrugged.

"And you're okay with that?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" the brunette asked as she stirred the cauldron while Vicky added the ingredients. "Scorpius isn't the first bloke I've been with. I think it would be slightly hypocritical for me to get all wonky on him for doing something that I did as well."

Vicky stared at Rose for a moment with a slight smile on her face. This was the most open Rose Weasley had ever been with her and she had to admit she liked it. She knew that she and the Slytherin could have been great friends but once in Hogwarts, Rose had closed herself off to everyone outside of Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. They spoke and were on friendly terms of course, but it wasn't as if they had _girl _talk by the lake or visited Gladrags in Hogsmeade. This new Rose – still confident and perhaps a little content – was something of a marvel to everyone around her. She had a feeling that the Head Girl was about to become even _more _popular.

"Are you and Scorpius going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" she asked Rose suddenly.

"Erm, I think so. I think Al wants to take Harmony on a _real date_ and quidditch is the week after so we have this Saturday off. Why do you ask?"

"Well, erm, I'm going with Bentley Lofton, we're sort of dating – he's a Gryffindor. Anyway, I thought maybe we could, you know, double?" Vicky asked. She quickly added, "Please don't feel like you have to say yes or anything. It was just an idea and I like you a lot, Rose, and I think we could be friends. Oh, bother, I've gone and made a fool of myself …"

"It sounds like fun," Rose smiled. "It will be our first _official_ date as a Hogwarts couple."

"Really?" Vicky asked.

"Really," Rose agreed. "Scor and I will meet you at ten in the courtyard."

"Brilliant," the blonde responded. "It'll be nice to do something other than study."

Rose mock-gasped. "A Ravenclaw not wanting to study? Oh! The world is ending!"

"Shove it, Weasley," Vicky responded with a smile as she nudged her shoulder against Rose's. "We do more than study Runes and Arithmancy in the cleverest house in Hogwarts."

"Yeah? You study things like _chemistry_ and _biology_…" Rose asked, trying to keep a straight face.

"And _anatomy_," Vicky whispered back with a grin before the girls settled in to do their work.

Rose smiled again, still feeling much better after her conversation with Professor Malfoy (who was discretely smiling from a few rows behind them) on Sunday night.

--

"So, I think we've put this off for long enough," Rose said as she sat outside the Three Broomsticks in the back garden (which Mrs. Longbottom had insisted on putting in). "Who's going to ask the first question?"

"I believe you just did, Miss Weasley," Draco smiled. When she didn't return it, he knew her mood had darkened once again. He sighed and shook his head. "Are you still angry because you really _are_ or is it because you're not ready to forgive your father yet?"

"Both."

Draco sighed again. "Rose, I know you don't want to, but you're going to have to give me more than one word answers if you want this to help."

"I know," she responded. "But I think it would be better if you tell me a bit about what it was like for _you_ growing up. I mean, from what I heard – from what Mum told me, which is very little – pleasing your father was always the highest To Do on your list."

"It was," Draco acknowledged. "I didn't want to disappoint him. He was my father. I wanted to be just like him when I grew up." He paused for a moment. "Voldemort tricked my father. And then he turned him into someone I wouldn't recognize today if he came up to me on the street. He wasn't so bad before he married Mum … that's what my grandmother said … but he married Mum and joined Voldemort around the same time. And then I was born right around the time that bloody prophesy was made and, well, you know. Father moved back into normal life but he was different from when Grandmother knew him. He was intent on the dark arts and seemed to want to excel. Mum said she thought he was trying to take over for the Dark Lord. So he pushed me until I broke."

"How did you break?"

"Well, I was so determined to make him proud of me that I became quite the little git. Your mum slapped me in our third year – she was having some kind of issue with your dad, I think. Anyway … I was just an all around prat and it was mostly because of your mother. See, Father wanted me to be the best at everything … but your mum bested me in everything. I think that was the main reason we didn't get along. I was angry at her for being better so I took it out on her and her stupid friends. And because she was a muggleborn. Father would have flayed me alive if I was friends with one of those."

"Dad hates me because I'm a Slytherin," Rose said softly. "That's when it started. I think he thought I was his little mini-Hermione or something. But I'm not that much like her – not really. I mean, I am a little bit, but my family, when I was growing up, they started seeing that I wasn't like Mum or Dad … not like Hugo is. But Dad didn't want to see it."

"First, your father doesn't hate you. It may seem like he does but he really loves you. He just doesn't know how to reconcile the fact that you're a Weasley and you're in Slytherin."

"It shouldn't matter what house I'm in, Professor!" she exclaimed, ignoring the stares of the witches and wizards around them. "He should love me because I'm his daughter. He shouldn't have cut me out of his life like that!"

"I agree with you, Rose. I was angry at my father for _years_ for the way he treated me. Before _and_ during Hogwarts. And I _know_ he'll come around, Rose. He really does love you and I think, after your Mum's been away from him for so long, he'll start to realize how much of a git he's being and what the results are. He just needs that jolt of reality. I'm sure he'll come around soon. Well, I'm not _sure_, but I _hope_."

"I wish I had your faith, Professor," Rose said softly.

"You can, Rose. All you have to do is live your life and believe that good things will happen. Scorpius' mother really _disliked_ me at first, but I had some faith and look where we are now: two fantastic kids and the best marriage I could ask for. Just let yourself be happy, Rose, and you will be. It'll all work out in the end."

"Thanks, Professor," she said softly before changing the topic to something else entirely.

--

"Hello, Lysander," Lily said softly as she sat down beside the third year in the library. "Having a good week?"

"Yeah," he replied quietly. "Thanks for coming to help me with this Runes work though. I just can't get these couple to translate into what your aunt did."

"Few people can," she smiled. "Aunt Hermione was – and is, of course – brilliant. She could have done anything she wanted."

Lysander nodded and turned back to his book. "Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least," she replied.

"D'you wanna talk about it?"

She knew she should have said no. She knew she should have just dropped it. Lysander was Lorcan's _brother_ for Merlin's sake; his _younger_ brother. _Well_, she rationalized in her mind_, it's not like I'm asking him out or using any names_. "Yeah. That would be great."

"So … what's up?"

"Well, there's this guy … and I like him … and I think he likes me. But we're in different houses, you know? And he likes this other girl, I think, but I don't know."

"That sounds very confusing," Lysander said honestly, but his heart gave a skip. _Could she be talking about me? I know I've been hanging around with Susan Bultruckle. Maybe she's jealous._ "I think he would be crazy not to like you back."

She smiled slightly. "Thanks, Ly, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"How about I try to make it a little easier on you. Why don't we go to Hogsmeade together on Saturday – it's my first visit and I'm kinda nervous and excited about it anyway – and you let me buy you something to eat at the Three Broomsticks?"

She stared at him. She knew she should say no because she had a crush on his older brother… but she couldn't turn him down. It _was_ his first time in Hogsmeade and his brother wouldn't be there to help him out. Lysander was a good kid and he deserved to have a little bit of fun. "Sounds great."

"Great!" he cried out with a wide smile before pressing a chaste kiss to her cheek and practically _skipping_ out of the library.

_Oh shit_, Lily thought. _Does he think it's a __**date**_?


	12. Chapter Twelve

"I think I made a big mistake," Lily told Rose when she cornered the Head Girl coming out of the Great Hall after dinner the next night. "A really, _really_ big one."

"What happened?" Rose asked with concern as she pulled Lily into an out-of-the-way alcove. "You didn't run off and snog or … or _shag_ some random bloke, did you?"

"No," Lily sighed. "It's sort of worse."

"How in the world could it be worse than that?"

"I sort of agreed to go to Hogsmeade with Lysander Scamander this Saturday."

There was a long, strained silence in which Lily was sure her cousin's head was imploding. She had put off telling Rose for many reasons, the first of which was that she'd just gotten her cousin back and she was afraid something like this would send her into a coma or something. She winced as she watched Rose's face turn a Weasley Red (something she hadn't seen happen since they were children) and her fists form tight balls.

"Lily, for the love of Merlin, please tell me I just hallucinated and you did not tell me you're going on a date with the little brother of the bloke you have a crush on," Rose said calmly, her fists clenching and unclenching in a smooth rhythm.

"I didn't know it was going to be a date!" the redhead whispered back harshly. "He said he didn't know Hogsmeade and since Lor's going on a date with Calliope he wouldn't have anyone to show him around. He said he was nervous, Ro, and I'm a prefect."

"So how do you know he thinks it's a date?" Rose asked slowly as she tried to calm down.

"He sort of kissed me on the cheek and skipped out of the library," Lily mumbled.

"Oh sweet heavens, LL," Rose sighed. "How in the world did you manage to even _get_ to that point?"

"Well, Ly asked me to tutor him in Runes since he was having some trouble already. I was pretty good at it in third year so I agreed. He said I looked kind of down, which I was even though you told me not to be, and asked if I wanted to talk about it. So I told him …"

"You _told_ him?!" Rose interrupted with a screech.

"Well not with _names_," Lily hissed. "I just told him I liked this guy who was hanging out with this other girl and that I was upset about it."

"And has he been spending any time with any other girls lately?"

"Uhm, I think he was hanging out with some girl Bultruckle or something like that. Why?"

"He thinks you were talking about him," Rose said flatly.

"_What_?!" Lily screeched. "Are you _kidding_ me?"

"Afraid not, little cousin," Rose said as she wrapped an arm around Lily and started directing her towards the stairs. "You've got yourself a genuine date with the _little brother_ of the guy you fancy. I have to say, I'm quite impressed."

"This is so _bad_," Lily moaned as she leaned into Rose. "What am I supposed to _do_? I can't just tell him to shove off."

"So go with him," Rose shrugged. "It's not like you have romantic intentions towards him. Just make sure you let him know when you guys meet that you're glad to be going with a _friend_. Make sure he understands that it's _not_ a date."

"What if he takes it badly?" Lily asked as she looked up at her cousin.

"Oh, he'll definitely take it badly. But which would you prefer: an upset Lysander or a Lorcan who doesn't think you're interested?"

Lily thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to slam her head against the wall until she passed out.

--

"Hey, Lorcan!" Lysander called to his older brother as he entered the Ravenclaw common room, "You'll never guess what!"

"What?" his brother asked as he lifted his eyes from his Arithmancy book.

"I have a _date_ for Hogsmeade," the younger blonde smiled. "I would have told you yesterday but I couldn't find you after I left the library."

"We probably just missed each other then," Lorcan replied. "I went to meet Lily to go over some stuff for OWLs."

"Saw Lily, did you?" Lysander asked with a scowl.

"Yes."

"Did she mention me?" he asked.

"Erm, not really. She seemed a bit out of it. She kept touching her cheek or something. I think she might have had a toothache."

"Did she look kind of dazed?" Lysander asked eagerly.

"Now that you mention it, yeah," Lorcan responded. "She was kind of out in her own world – like Mum gets sometimes. Was she like that when you were with her?"

"Not until the very end," Lysander said slyly. _I didn't think I would have __**that**__ much of an effect on her_.

"Huh. That's odd," the elder said as his eyes moved back down to his book. "So, spill. Who'd you get to be your date to Hogsmeade on Saturday?"

"Lily Potter," Lysander said smugly.

Lorcan's head whipped up and he stared at his little brother intently. "You asked out Lily and she said yes?" he asked in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I am," Lysander huffed. "Why _wouldn't_ she want to go out with me?"

Lorcan stared at his brother for a minute before shaking his head and packing his books. "I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow."

Lysander couldn't help but grin.

--

"Your little sister seems to have stepped in it big time, Al," Scorpius said as he and Rose took their seats beside him in Astronomy.

"And why do you say that, mate?" Al asked as he jotted down a star and mapped its projected path across the September sky.

"Because she's going on a date with Lysander Scamander."

"_What_?!" Al cried out. "Nooooooo. No no no no. She fancies Lorcan … why in the world would she go out with Hugo's little mate?"

"She didn't know she was accepting a _date_," Rose whispered. "He played it off like he wanted to go as friends."

"And how, exactly, did she figure out he wanted to go on a date?" Albus asked slowly.

"Well, I reckon it was when he kissed her," Rose replied.

"That little shit kissed my _sister_?!" Albus screeched in a voice that made him sound much more like a woman than he would have cared for.

"Mr. Potter," Professor Sinistra hissed. "Do you have a problem?"

"Yes," Al said over the protests of Rose and Scorpius. "I have to go kill a third year, Professor. I will accept any detention you care to give me, but my baby sister's honor is at stake and I will not let it be compromised by some little shit who thinks he has a chance with her. Have a good evening," he said before spinning on his heel and leaving the Astronomy Tower.

"Go, Miss Weasley," the professor responded before Rose even had a chance to ask. "And I assume you'll be going as well, Mr. Malfoy."

"No, Professor," Scorpius responded. "I'd rather keep away from the bloodshed tonight. Please continue."

Rose planted a kiss on his head and hurried after the enraged Slytherin prefect who had gotten quite a head start. "Al!" she called. "Al, slow down! Please!"

"No, Rose. I have to go kill that little git. If they cart me off to Azkaban, make sure Scor takes over the quidditch team and _don't_ let Amelia Frowley take my place. You move to Seeker and let Hobart take your spot."

"Al, you're not going to Azkaban because you're _not_ killing Lysander. Just let it go …"

"Let it go?" he asked with a harsh, humorless laugh. "I don't think so, Rose. She's not interested in him – she's not interested in _any _boy right now and I'm quite pleased at that, mind you – and he just _kisses_ her? No. No, I don't think so."

"It was only on the cheek, Al," Rose tried again. "It wasn't as if he grabbed her and jammed his tongue down her throat."

Albus paused in the middle of the corridor and Rose thought her had finally gotten through to him. "That was much too graphic for my liking and I'll thank you to not ever mention _anyone_ with their tongue in my sister's mouth again," he told her strongly as he pointed a finger in her face.

"Sweet Merlin, Al," she sighed. "Lily can handle herself without …"

"Say your Heads password and let me into the tower," he cut her off.

"No," she refused. "I'm not going to aid you in trying to kill an overzealous third year. Would you look at yourself?! This is ridiculous. He didn't mean any harm and honestly thought Lily was interested in him. Please just drop it and come back to class."

Albus let out a long breath of air before slowly turning to Rose. "How do you know about this anyway? Rumors like this don't usually make it up to seventh year …"

"I … uh … well, Lily came to me," Rose replied as they turned back for the Astronomy Tower. She rubbed the back of her neck slowly. "She came to my common room yesterday to talk to me about a, erm, issue –"

"Was it a _girl_ thing?"

"Erm, yes. Anyway, we kind of had a long overdue talk and, you know, she confided in me. And she told me today that she thinks Lysander thinks it's a date because he kissed her _on the cheek_ when he left the library. It's all one big misunderstanding."

Al slowly nodded and allowed Rose to lead him back to Astronomy. He wasn't happy about it – which he told her every few feet – but he would accept it. _For now_.

--

Friday began cloudy and chilly – much like Lorcan Scamander. He was still miffed that his little brother had asked out Lily Potter before he got the chance. He couldn't figure out what had happened.

He knew he never came right out and said that he fancied her but he could have _sworn_ his actions spoke loud enough. He had done nothing to hide the fact that he was interested in his friend and he had really thought she was interested in him as well. He couldn't help but wonder what had gone wrong.

"Good morning, Lorcan," a soft voice called as he passed a girl in the corridor.

"Oh, Calliope. How are you doing today?"

"I'm just fine, thank you. Looking forward to tomorrow. I'm very glad you said you would help me look for a good birthday gift for my boyfriend," she said seriously. "Even though I've been in the magical world for four years I'm still not sure what a bloke who grew up wizarding would want for his birthday."

"I think anything you got him would make him happy, Cal," he told her with a smile. "The way he acts it's like you're the only girl he sees …"

"Just like Lily's the only girl _you_ see?" the brunette asked. When Lorcan scowled, the dreamy expression her face once held fell away. "What is it?"

"I don't want to talk about _her_," the blonde spat.

"But I thought you and Lily were …"

"So did I," he interrupted darkly. "But I suppose she was only using me to get to my _brother_."

"Your brother?"

"Yeah. They're going on a _date_ tomorrow," Lorcan sneered. "I can't believe her …"

"Does she know it's a date?" Calliope asked seriously.

"Well of course she does! He wouldn't have told me it was a date if it wasn't!"

"Good morning, Lorcan. Calliope," a female voice said from a few feet away. "Excited that it's nearly the weekend?"

"I'll wager _you_ are," Lorcan said meanly.

"Erm, yeah …" she said slowly. "Hogsmeade and all …"

"Oh I'll bet your looking forward to going to Hogsmeade," he said in a snappish tone. "Can't wait for the day to start, huh? C'mon, Cal," Lorcan said as he gripped her by the elbow. "It's getting kind of crowded here." Without so much as a look back to Lily, Lorcan pulled a sympathetic Calliope down the corridor and into the Great Hall.

"So it's going to be one of those days," Lily muttered in a hurt tone.

She knew Lysander must have said something to his brother about Saturday's Hogsmeade visit and the Lorcan must have been unhappy about it. The only thing she couldn't figure out was if he was mad that she was going with Lysander or mad that it was a date (in his mind).

Lily sighed heavily as she made her way into the Great Hall and gave Rose a defeated sigh before plopping down in her seat.

"What's with you?" Hugo asked. "You've been acting really wonky."

"It's nothing," Lily said dejectedly. "There's nothing to be done about it anyway, so I might as well just accept it and move on."

"Right," Hugo said, not really paying attention. "So are you really going on a date with Lysander? Because, to be honest, Lil, I sort of thought you fancied Lo …"

"Shh!" Lily interrupted with a hiss. "Keep your bloody voice down you idiot! What's wrong with you?"

"What?" Hugo asked innocently. "You don't want everyone to know you fancy …"

"Shut it!" she cried as she clamped her hand over his mouth. "What will it take to get you to keep your mouth shut on this?"

"I want you to tell your brother that I want in."

"I don't understand what you're talking about, Hugo. Want in on what?"

"None of your sodding business," the younger redhead replied. "Just do it, yeah?"

"Fine," Lily huffed. "But I want you to promise me you won't breathe a word to _anyone_ about … you know."

"You have it, Lily. It's between you and me. Now, swear you'll give Albus my message," he told her seriously.

"I swear."

"Excellent," Hugo grinned.

--

"I want to go back to our room," Scorpius muttered huskily in Rose's ear as they finished up dinner. "I don't know what it is about you today, Weasley, but I just want to throw you down and shag you until you don't scream anything but my name."

Rose's neck flushed and her face grew warm. "Scorpius …"

"You smell absolutely fantastic," he continued in a low voice.

"I'm not wearing any perfume …"

"That's not what I'm talking about."

She couldn't help but moan out loud. She ignored the curious looks of her housemates as she turned in her seat and scowled at her boyfriend. "Could you not do that _here_?" she hissed. "Your bloody father has his eyes locked on us right now.

Scorpius arched an eyebrow before turning to meet his father's gaze. With a devilish smirk he attached his lips to the side of her neck, which made her moan again. He was fairly certain that Professor Longbottom was blushing like a first year Hufflepuff.

"Oi!" Al hissed. "Could you two maybe _not_ start shagging at the dinner table?"

"Just because _you're_ not getting any, Potter, doesn't mean the rest of us should go cold turkey as well," Rose responded as she turned to press her lips to Scorpius'.

_Shit_, Al thought. _The bloody elves must have spiked the wrong juice!_ His eyes wandered down the table to Greg Uxley and Tamara Gordon – and they weren't acting off at all. _Fuck! It didn't work!_

"Whoa? What's up with Weasley and Malfoy?"

"Damn, they look like they're going to shag right here on the table."

"Tell Creevey to get his camera."

"Sweet Merlin I hope I get a penseive for Christmas!"

"Oi! Shut it, you lot! Rose! Malfoy! Break it up!" No response. _Shit_. "Oi! Knock it off!"

"Busy now, Al," Rose said between kisses. "Check back later."

"Well, if _this_ isn't karma I don't know what is," Al muttered as he stood and bodily dragged Rose away from Scorpius. "C'mon, Bug, let's go."

"But … no. I want to be with Scor …"

"_Silencio_," Al muttered quietly. He _knew_ Rose would start saying things to embarrass herself (and Scorpius) if he didn't get her out of there quickly. Scorpius followed along like a lost puppy. _Note to self: no more asking the elves to put lust potions into drinks._ "Consider yourselves forewarned," he whispered to Uxley and Gordon. "This could have been you."

The giggles followed the trio out of the Great Hall. Al was certain that he would be on the receiving end of one of Rose's tongue lashings.

--

Draco Malfoy was in a mood – and it wasn't a good one. His first years had botched up their potions this afternoon, his third years had been too excited about their Hogsmeade weekend to concentrate, and his wife had flooed and said his mother was sick so she couldn't watch the baby and therefore his plans for a romantic weekend holiday were completely mucked up.

So when a loud knock sounded on the door to his private chambers, Professor Draco Malfoy nearly lost his mind. "What is it?" he snapped.

"Professor, I need a little help here … Oi! Knock that off! You're in public for Merlin's sake."

"What is it, Potter?" Draco exclaimed as he whipped open the door … and his son and Rose Weasley fell through in a heap of flailing limps and groping hands. "What in the name of Morgana's cu –"

"Professor! There is a time and place for profanity and now is neither!" Al responded as he reached down and pulled Scorpius off his cousin. "They seem to have drunk some lust potion …"

"Potter …" Draco growled. "How did that drink lust potion?"

"Well, I reckon it was probably in their drinks at dinner …"

"And who _put it_ there, Potter?"

"The house elves, sir. I'm quite certain of that."

"Don't be cheeky. Why did you have the _house elves_ give a _lust potion_ to _those two_?"

"In my own defense, sir, it was meant for two _other_ people."

Draco rolled his eyes and growled once more before going over to the personal stores. "You owe me big, Potter. If it was anyone else I would be giving them a month of Saturday detentions …"

"Professor!"

"_But_," Draco continued, "I won't give it to you this time because I'm fairly certain who the intended targets were and they deserve nothing less."

Al sighed with relief. "Thanks, sir."

"Besides, you have some Weasley in you too and your one uncle, George I mean, is a pretty funny guy. I want to know how you modified it though. Usually the drinker will latch on to anyone in sight and I'm pretty sure you would be more traumatized if my son or your cousin had tried to …"

"Right. I just substituted wormwood for flaxenberries."

"That was quite a risk," Draco replied, slightly impressed at the ingenuity of the seventh year in front of him. "Who was in on it with you?"

"No one," Al denied.

"Liar."

"Well," Al smirked. "A good ring leader doesn't give away his men until absolutely necessary."

"Right," Draco smirked before administering the antidote to the lust potion. His smirk widened as his son and Rose started coming back to themselves.

"Where's my left shoe?"

"Why is my shirt unbuttoned?"

"Scorpius! Get your hand out of there! We're in public …"

"I assure you, Miss Weasley, that your secret is safe with me," the Potions professor drawled.

Rose turned a bright Weasley red before launching herself at her cousin. "I will _kill you_, Albus Severus Potter!"


End file.
